Departmental Skills Development Plan

Nick Gibb: To ask the Leader of the House which individual is responsible for developing and implementing his Office's Skills Development Plan.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Hutton), on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1074W.

Bilateral Aid

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how his Department plans (a) to monitor and (b) to disaggregate information on how direct budget support provided as bilateral aid is spent.

Hilary Benn: I refer the Member for Enfield, Southgate to the response given to my hon. friend for Cardiff North on 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 512W.

EU Commissioner for External Trade

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the European Commissioner for External Trade on (a) the Economic Partnership Agreements and (b) the World Trade Organisation meeting in December.

Hilary Benn: I have had several discussions on both these issues with Commissioner Mandelson since he took up office. Most recently, the commissioner joined the informal meeting of EU Development Ministers which I hosted on 23 and 24 October in Leeds, by video-conference. There we discussed in particular the importance of a credible package of "Aid for Trade" measures to be in place before the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in December, so that developing countries can see that we are serious in addressing their concerns over trade reforms, and also so that they will be able to adjust to new trading circumstances as well as benefit from the opportunities that trade liberalisation can bring.

Niger

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department first received warning of a food crisis in Niger from (a) the Early Warning System of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, (b) the Famine Early Warning System Network of the US Agency for International Development, (c) the FAO-WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission and (d) his Department's officials based in that country.

Hilary Benn: The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)'s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) produces two sets of reports that warn of imminent food crises in Africa. The "Foodcrops and Shortages Report" from February 2005 stated that the harvest in Niger was normal against the five year average, and did not require exceptional and/or emergency assistance. The "Food Supply Situation and Crop Prospects" Report in April 2005 similarly omitted Niger from its list of countries facing food emergencies. Only in its June 2005 edition did the "Foodcrops and Shortages Report" recommend emergency assistance for Niger, and only in September 2005 did Niger feature on FAO/GIEWS' list of countries facing food crises.
	The FEWSNET bulletin first flagged Niger as a country under "Warning Status" in December 2004, but it was not until June 2005 that this was upgraded to "Emergency Status" demanding "highest priority urgent action".
	DFID attended the presentation of the World Food Programme (WFP)/FAO's initial Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) findings from the Sahel region in December 2004, where cereal production for the entire region was reported as average, in spite of drought and locusts, but where pockets of need were identified within all the Sahel countries. Based on the evidence, DFID judged that large scale food aid would not be required at that time.
	DFID does not have any officials based in Niger. The London based humanitarian unit responsible for monitoring emerging crises in Africa had been monitoring the situation in the Sahel since the locust invasions of August 2004. In April 2005, the first incontrovertible evidence of a deteriorating situation was provided by Medecins Sans Frontieres. A full account of DFID's subsequent response is set out in my parliamentary written statement on the Niger food crisis made on 11 October 2005, Official Report, columns 26–27WS.

Common Agricultural Policy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information she has received on progress towards implementing the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy in each other EU member state.

Jim Knight: The European Commission published a summary on 8 September 2005 entitled "Implementation of the CAP reform in the Member States" which outlines how each member state is implementing the 2003 reforms. Copies will be made available in the Library of the House.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to reply to the letter dated 25 July 2005 from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding tallow combustion.

Jim Knight: The issues raised in your letter of 25 July to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State fall within the remit of the Scottish Executive. Your letter has therefore been transferred to the Scottish Executive correspondence section who will reply to you directly.

Milk Price

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average (a) farm gate price of a litre of milk, (b) cost of producing a litre of milk and (c) retail price for a litre of milk was in each year between 1984 and 2004.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	
		Farm gate prices Pence per litre
		
			  Excluding any retrospective bonus payments made by purchasers Including retrospective bonus payments made by purchasers 
		
		
			 2001 19.13 19.26 
			 2002 17.05 17.10 
			 2003 18.01 18.03 
			 2004(4) 18.45 18.47 
			
			 2004(4)   
			 August 18.49 18.51 
			 September 19.48 19.49 
			 October 19.51 19.53 
			 November 19.48 19.50 
			 December 18.92 18.94 
			
			 2005   
			 January 18.52 18.54 
			 February 18.31 18.34 
			 March 18.32 18.33 
			 April 17.58 17.60 
			 May 17.11 17.12 
			 June 17.30 17.31 
			 July 18.05 18.07 
			 August 18.45 18.47 
		
	
	(4) Data from this point are provisional.
	Source:
	DEFRA
	The table shows monthly average farm gate milk prices in pence per litre for the last thirteen months for the United Kingdom, and weighted annual averages for 2001 to 2004. The average prices are calculated from monthly surveys of milk purchasers conducted in England and Wales by DEFRA, in Scotland by SEERAD and in Northern Ireland by DARD. The size of the sample surveyed is estimated to account for 99 per cent. of milk production this month. The farm gate price is the average price received by producers, net of delivery charges. No deduction has been made for superlevy.
	The University of Manchester report "The Economics of Milk Production England and Wales 2002/03", commissioned by DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government, calculated the average weighted cost of production to be 18.33 pence per litre. However the report also found that there is a huge disparity in the costs of production and profitability between the most and least efficient dairy farmers. The 25 per cent. of farmers with the lowest cost of production were producing milk for an average 12 pence per litre less than the 25 per cent. with the highest costs. Data on production costs broken down by year are not available.
	The average UK retail price of whole milk are available from 1986 onwards:
	
		
			  Pence per litre 
		
		
			 1986 42.1 
			 1987 44.4 
			 1988 45.8 
			 1989 49.3 
			 1990 54.5 
			 1991 56.3 
			 1992 59.8 
			 1993 59.8 
			 1994 63.3 
			 1995 63.3 
			 1996 63.3 
			 1997 61.6 
			 1998 59.8 
			 1999 59.8 
			 2000 59.8 
			 2001 65.1 
			 2002 63.3 
			 2003 64.4 
			 2004 61.9 
			 2005 (average to September) 61.4 
		
	
	Note:
	The price is an average of shop bought and delivered whole milk.
	Source:
	ONS

Renewable Energy

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the carbon abatement which may be achieved by using biodegradable municipal waste to generate heat.

Margaret Beckett: The Department for Trade and Industry recently published a report on renewable heat, which estimated that the net carbon savings from generating heat from the biomass fraction of municipal solid waste would amount to 61kgC/MWh compared to using oil to produce heat and 46 kgC/MWh compared to gas. The report is available at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/renewables/policy_pdfs/heatreportfinal.pdf

Africa

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes of policy he expects will be made to give developing countries the freedom and flexibility implied in paragraph 31 of the G8 communique on Africa.

Ian Pearson: The Government have already announced changes to policy on debt relief and aid conditionally. In March the Government launched a new policy "Partnerships for poverty reduction—rethinking conditionally".
	In trade negotiations, no concessions should be demanded from least developed countries. We will strive to ensure that all developing countries have the flexibility to plan and sequence liberalisation in line with national development plans through appropriate special and differential treatment provisions.

Businesses (Knowledge Transfer)

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much businesses received through (a) collaborative research and development, (b) transfer networks and (c) knowledge transfer partnerships in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Johnson: The information is as follows:
	(a) Collaborative Research and Development:
	These are the sums made available through the DTI contributions to LINK and the current grant for collaborative R&D product.
	
		
			   £000 
			  UK grants Grants to Scottish-based businesses 
		
		
			 1988–99 44,679 2,278 
			 1999–2000 6,768 345 
			 2000–01 7,399 377 
			 2001–02 7,824 399 
			 2002–03 7,809 398 
			 2003–04 8,375 427 
			 2004–05 7,763 396 
			 Total 90,618 4,620

India

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of (a) imports from India to the UK and (b) exports to India from the UK in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 3 November 2005
	The value of (a) imports from India to the UK and (b) exports to India from the UK in each of the last five years is set out in the table:
	
		UK trade in goods with India £ million
		
			  UK Imports UK Exports 
		
		
			 2000 1,712 2,056 
			 2001 1,884 1,781 
			 2002 1,870 1,768 
			 2003 2,147 2,293 
			 2004 2,340 2,243 
		
	
	For the period January to July 2005, the value of Imports from India to the UK, in millions, was 1,629; an increase of 23 per cent. based on the corresponding period for 2004. For the same period, the value of exports to India from the UK was 1,643; an increase of 26 per cent. based on the corresponding period for 2004.

Oil Imports and Exports

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in which years since 1997 the UK has been a net oil (a) exporter and (b) importer, giving the quantity of oil in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: Figures for UK oil imports and exports are routinely published in the DTIs annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics and quarterly Energy Trends publications. The UK has been a net exporter of oil (crude and products) since the early 1980s. Annual figures for 1997 to 2004 are shown in the following table with net imports denoted by a minus (-) sign.
	
		Net exports of oil Million tonnes
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Crude oil and natural gas liquids 36.8 43.5 49.6 41.2 35.4 33.0 23.9 7.5 
			 Refinery feedstocks -7.4 -6.9 -2.6 -2.7 -2.1 -2.8 -3.2 -5.6 
			 Petroleum products 18.1 13.0 7.8 6.5 1.6 8.1 6.0 10.8 
			 Overall oil 47.5 49.6 54.8 45.0 34.9 38.3 26.7 12.7 
		
	
	Source:
	Digest of UK Energy Statistics
	UK crude oil production peaked in 1999 and has declined subsequently. The 2003 Energy White Paper noted that the UK is expected to become a net importer of oil by around 2010.

Renewable Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding has been made available for renewable energy sources in the UK in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not been possible to collate all public expenditure and other Government support since 1997 for energy technologies in the time available at proportionate cost. However, it is possible to detail direct DTI and Research Council expenditure on renewables energy. These are set out in the tables.
	In addition to this both DEFRA and the Scottish Executive provide funding to the Carbon Trust which conducts research into low carbon energy activities among other activities. DEFRA also funds research into combined heat and power, which is also detailed in the tables as follows.
	
		DTI new and renewable energy programme—external spend for each technology area by financial year from 1997–98(rounded to nearest thousand)
		
			  Spend 
			 Programme area 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Bio wastes 75,000 48,000 25,000 56,000 13,000 42,000 25,9000 — 
			 Biomass 1,317,000 1,076,000 1,585,000 1,267,000 1,333,000 1,595,000 1,346,000 974,222 
			 Embedded generation 586,000 530,000 596,000 589,000 776,000 1,424,000 725,000 1,105,640 
			 Fuel cells 900,000 1,197,000 1,168,000 1,410,000 1,249,000 1,200,000 1,701,000 4,907,430 
			 Geothermal—aquifers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Geothermal—hot dry rocks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hydro 57,000 80,000 138,000 60,000 130,000 200,000 85,000 0 
			 Solar 1,660,000 983,000 1,278,000 1,264,000 1,522,000 4,485,000 3,131,000 1,970,340 
			 Tidal 0 0 0 27,000 305,000 1,996,000 2,914,000 1,268,530 
			 Wave 0 91,000 11,000 331,000 662,000 748,000 2,104,000 — 
			 Wind 1,240,000 950,000 801,000 913,000 1,248,000 1,428,000 1,395,000 1,459,600 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. From 2000–01, figures do not include spend on contracts placed direct by DTI.
	2. For 2004–05, highlighted cells show a combined spend for the two areas.
	
		
			 £ 
			 DTI capital grant programmes 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Biomass (DTI and lottery spend) — — — — — — 10,000 1,913,000 
			 Offshore wind capital grants — — — — — — — 15,000,000 
			 Clear skies community renewables — — — — — — 200,000 1,387,000 
			 Major PV demo programme — — — — — 960,000 2,880,000 6,450,000 
			  
			 DEFRA CHP programme 1,000,000 1,300,000 1,900,000 2,500,000 2,800,000 1,600,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 
		
	
	Note:
	Several indirect measures of state support for CHP were introduced in 2001–02. Of those that can be enumerated, climate change levy exemption on fuel inputs to good quality CHP and good quality CHP electricity outputs were valued at up to £80 million per annum, while eligibility for enhanced capital allowances is worth in the region of 10m per annum to the industry. Capital grants for community energy programme schemes were introduced in 2002–03 and the spend on schemes including CHP was: £427,000 in 2002–03, £4,315,000 in 2003–04 and £4,896,000 in 2004–05.
	
		Research council spend
		
			 Programme area 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Biofuel 0 0 0 21,540 51,545 143,990 134,929 92,325 
			 Biomass 446,665 870,970 736,434 600,811 700,790 783,026 1,042,526 1,186,257 
			 CHP 4,382 36,297 63,210 77,166 267,313 356,756 225,905 70,791 
			 CO2 sequestration 0 0 0 22,544 41,589 77,787 30,323 42,461 
			 Fuel cells 887,584 1,011,524 703,128 898,637 1,145,076 1,468,042 1,193,165 917,608 
			 Hydrogen 30,348 135,531 59,169 82,976 318,500 516,560 1,494,155 1,495,130 
			 Solar 1,439,835 1,286,000 1,076,000 1,134,000 1,130,000 1,157,000 1,453,023 1,753,334 
			 Photovoltaic 2,254,756 3,001,835 2,759,517 2,991,977 3,536,428 2,770,354 2,381,044 2,761,866 
			 Wave and tidal 0 157,000 175,000 300,599 605,693 616,694 830,226 1,050,253 
			 Wind 199,847 225,903 177,716 260,596 330,283 490,447 481,572 255,672 
			 Wind/solar(7) 0 21,000 21,000 100,000 0 0 0 0 
			 Wind/wave(8) 0 28,000 28,000 28,000 28,000 28.000 28,000 28,000 
			 Waste 66,012 9,985 39,652 39,962 95,718 124,826 169,024 154,474 
			 Geothermal 0 0 0 40,493 64,550 63,550 73,460 79,429 
			 Storage 325,808 649,899 669,617 837,918 888,602 809,871 730,182 499,536 
			 Networks 1,347,678 1,167,695 1,081,132 919,165 1,114,793 1,388,490 1,804,749 2,463,125

Royal Mail

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how much compensation was paid to members of the public for letters lost or stolen while in the possession of the Royal Mail in the last three years for which information is available;
	(2)  how many letters (a) were lost or stolen and (b) had items stolen from inside the letter while in the possession of the Royal Mail in the last three years for which information is available.

Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. I have therefore asked Adam Crozier, the chief executive of Royal Mail, to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member.
	Information on complaints and compensation are published on the Royal Mail website: http://www.royalmail.group.com/

Small Businesses

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to help small businesses to expand.

Alun Michael: holding answer 3 November 2005
	The Government places high priority on helping small business to grow and is pleased that SME productivity growth has exceeded "all firms" productivity growth over the 4-year period 1999–2003 (the most recent period for which statistics have been published.
	The Government provides a range of support to encourage small businesses to expand and grow, including help with access to finance, measures to improve skills, promoting innovation and help for businesses to export. The way for any small business to gain access to this support is to contact the local Business Link, while the website www.businesslink.gov.uk provides authoritative information from over 40 Government Departments and agencies. We are also active in reducing the regulatory burden on business, freeing more entrepreneurs' time to focus on growth.

Small Businesses

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants are available for research and development undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Alun Michael: The starting point for any business in England is to contact the local Business Link, which exists to provide advice and help in identifying the help available to meet that business's specific needs. In doing so, the Business Link will draw on assistance funded by Government and by others including local government and by commercial and other providers. The assistance provided by Government is as follows:
	Each year the DTI invests over £400 million assisting businesses through grants, loans and subsidised consultancy. DTI provides the following help to small and medium-sized businesses to undertake research and development:
	"Grant for Research and Development" provides grants to help individuals and small and medium-sized businesses research and develop technologically innovative products and processes.
	"Collaborative Research and Development" provides grants to businesses of all sizes to carry out projects in strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology.
	Collaborative Research and Development can also be used to fund collaboration with international partners through EUREKA.
	Full details of DTI's support for business can be found on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/bss.
	Businesses can find details of further sources of help with starting and growing a business through the Grants and Support Directory on www.businesslink.gov.uk/support but will be given a personal service of advice and help by their local Business Link.

UK Trade and Investment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual budget for UK Trade and Investment and its predecessor body was in each year from 1997; and what the staff complement was in each year.

Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment (formerly British Trade International) was established in 1999. According to its annual report and accounts the annual spend in support of the organisation's objectives for the period 2000–01 (the first year that information is available) until 2004–05 and the staff complement for each of those years is as follows.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Total net resources Staff numbers(7) 
		
		
			 2000–01 277 2,224 
			 2001–02 257 2,217 
			 2002–03 279 2,303 
			 2003–04 289 2,305 
			 2004–05 291 2,312 
		
	
	(7) Whole time equivalents.
	Note:
	For 2004–05 the figures are indicative.
	Source:
	Except for 2004–05, UK Trade and Investment (Formerly British Trade International) published Resource Accounts.

UK/Uganda Trade

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the volume of trade was between the United Kingdom and Uganda in each year since 2001, broken down by product.

Ian Pearson: The information is as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
			  UK Exports UK Imports 
		
		
			 2001 34,814 8,542 
			 2002 33,666 10,672 
			 2003 36,765 9,448 
			 2004 36,397 13,174 
		
	
	Product breakdown is as follows:
	
		UK trade in goods with Uganda £000
		
			   UK Exports 
			 Section Description 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 0 Food and live animals 487 468 1,766 1,105 
			 1 Beverages and tobacco 367 451 242 385 
			 2 Crude materials, inedible, except fuels 756 654 241 290 
			 3 Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials 11 13 35 19 
			 4 Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes 0 4 0 14 
			 5 Chemicals and related products nes 6,011 4,817 5,554 4,885 
			 6 Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material 1,722 1,937 2,024 3,392 
			 7 Machinery and transport equipment 19,001 19,436 20,493 18,238 
			 8 Miscellaneous manufactured articles 6,384 5,797 6,226 7,863 
			 9 Commodities and transactions not elsewhere classified 73 91 184 205 
			  Total trade(8) 34,814 33,666 36,765 36,397 
		
	
	
		UK trade in goods with Uganda £000
		
			   UK Imports 
			 Section Description 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 0 Food and live animals 3,017 2,936 3,205 3,368 
			 1 Beverages and tobacco 2,948 5,476 3,812 2,816 
			 2 Crude materials, inedible, except fuels 1,160 667 594 557 
			 3 Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials 31 0 0 0 
			 4 Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes 0 0 0 14 
			 5 Chemicals and related products nes 21 6 7 1 
			 6 Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material 10 163 46 283 
			 7 Machinery and transport equipment 599 942 1,126 1,459 
			 8 Miscellaneous manufactured articles 518 234 201 3,920 
			 9 Commodities and transactions not elsewhere classified 237 247 456 758 
			  Total trade(8) 8,542 10,672 9,448 13,174 
		
	
	(8) Total trade figures rounded up/down.
	Source:
	Compiled by DTI Statistics from HM Revenue and Customs data.

Asylum Seekers

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last five years; and how many failed asylum seekers are awaiting return.

Tony McNulty: Information on the destination that failed asylum seekers are returned to is only available since January 2004. The number of asylum seekers returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo between January 2004 and June 2005 is given in the table.
	Information on nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo who are removed from the UK as failed asylum seekers are published on the Home Office website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	Information on the number of asylum seekers awaiting removal could be ascertained by examination of individual case files only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		Removals, voluntary departures(9), assisted returns of asylum applicants to the Democratic Republic of Congo,2004 to Q2 2005(10)(11)
		
			  Principal applicants removed 
		
		
			 2004 (11)15 
			 2005(12) (11)15 
		
	
	(9) Includes enforced removals, persons departing 'voluntarily' following enforcement action initiated against them, and persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration.
	(10) Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
	(11) Provisional figures.
	(12) January to June.

Common EU Border Police Force

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on the creation of a common EU border police force.

Andy Burnham: Like the majority of EU member states, the UK Government remains unconvinced of the need for a standing EU border force. There are many practical actions and concrete measures that can be taken forward with EU partners without the need to go as far as creating a European border police.
	For example we are committed to working together on targeted EU joint operations aimed at strengthening the EU's external borders and to this end we fully support the aims and objectives of the recently-established EU Border Agency (Frontex).
	The EU's Hague Programme refers to a feasibility study into a "European system of Border Guards" but makes no commitment to establishing one. The feasibility study will take place in 2007, as part of the review of the Border Agency.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what stage of the legal process victims and qualifying applicants are informed about the possibility of applying for compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Fiona Mactaggart: The police provide victims of reported crime with the leaflet "Victims of Crime—the help and advice that's available". This has a section on compensation which includes information about the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, including the CICA website address and other contact details.

Prisons

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the implications of the ruling in R. v. Leonard Cheshire Foundation (2002) H.R.L.R.30 on the applicability of the Human Rights Act 1998 to prisons built and operated under contract by non-public authorities.

Fiona Mactaggart: There are no implications arising from the ruling in R. v. Leonard Cheshire Foundation (2002) H.R.L.R.30 for prisons built and operated under contract by commercial organisations.

Travellers

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to amend section 62A to E of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to streamline the procedure for the removal of illegally encamped travellers.

Paul Goggins: Sections 62A to E of the Criminal Justice and Public Order 1994 were introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 to provide the police with an additional power to deal with unauthorised encampments. The Government keeps all existing enforcement powers under review to ensure that they are adequate and public agencies are using them effectively.

Employment Statistics

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were (a) employed and (b) unemployed in each electoral ward in Cleethorpes constituency in each of the past 10 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Shona McIsaac, dated 7 November 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (24754)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions. Estimates of unemployment are not available for wards as the survey sample size for such areas is too small.
	However, ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming jobseeker's allowance. The attached table shows annual averages for 1996 to 2004 for wards within the Cleethorpes constituency.
	These statistics are published on the Office for National Statistics's Nomis(r) website: www.nomisweb.co.uk.
	
		Table 1: Jobseeker's allowance claimants resident in electoral wards of the Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency Annual averages
		
			 Electoral wards(32) 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Cleethorpes Alexandra 311 255 217 191 179 171 154 115 97 
			 Cleethorpes Beacon Hill 139 107 94 92 87 77 61 62 53 
			 Cleethorpes Central 181 161 128 122 111 93 84 63 80 
			 Cleethorpes Middlethorpe 78 67 63 50 42 41 37 38 27 
			 Cleethorpes North 316 287 283 266 245 208 185 154 150 
			 Cleethorpes Riverside 137 109 103 98 87 64 58 49 41 
			 Cleethorpes Sidney 290 235 213 201 168 158 141 119 80 
			 Cleethorpes Thrunscoe 147 131 115 107 93 86 75 57 49 
			 Habrough and Stallingborough 44 30 35 35 26 20 18 16 22 
			 Healing 48 40 30 31 30 27 17 18 18 
			 Humberston 117 94 79 82 80 69 43 44 43 
			 Immingham Bluestone 106 78 61 70 61 55 39 35 43 
			 Immingham Central 177 160 145 125 105 108 91 78 86 
			 Immingham Humber 326 294 278 214 168 178 161 123 133 
			 Laceby 72 62 52 52 47 39 33 25 27 
			 New Waltham 100 73 72 67 55 54 48 38 33 
			 Waltham 145 113 94 86 74 62 49 52 42 
			 Wold Parishes 61 54 54 58 44 39 40 35 13 
			 Abbey 115 92 92 83 68 65 52 59 54 
			 Barton-Upon-Humber Bridge 171 131 114 113 78 73 58 56 54 
			 Barton-Upon-Humber Park 227 176 161 150 130 114 93 97 71 
			 Goxhill 47 35 30 30 26 27 22 18 23 
			 Humber 96 75 78 64 55 51 48 43 31 
			 Ulceby 68 50 44 41 36 31 28 23 26 
			 Total 3,519 2,909 2,635 2,428 2,095 1,910 1,635 1,417 1,296 
		
	
	(32) Electoral wards are defined on the basis of the boundaries as they were in 1991
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus administrative systems

Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of youth unemployment has been in Hemel Hempstead constituency in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Michael Penning, dated 7 November 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about youth unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (25821)
	Table 1, attached, shows the total numbers of unemployed young people aged 16 to 24 who were resident in the Hemel Hempstead Parliamentary Constituency. The table covers the 12 month periods ending in February each year from 2001 to 2004 and the 12 month period ending in March 2005. These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution.
	The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 2, attached, shows the annual average number of JSA claimants, aged 18 to 24, resident in the Hemel Hempstead constituency for 2000 to 2004.
	The data are published on the Office for National Statistics's Nomis website: www.nomisweb.co.uk.
	
		Table 1: Numbers of unemployed, aged 16 to 24, resident in the Hemel Hempstead constituency Thousand
		
			 12 months ending Number 
		
		
			 February 2001 (33)— 
			 February 2002 (33)— 
			 February 2003 1 
			 February 2004 1 
			 March 2005 1 
		
	
	(33) Disclosive (sample size less than three).
	Note:
	The estimates for local areas are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a very high degree of sampling variability. Changes from year to year, especially, should be treated with caution.
	Source:
	Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey
	
		Table 2: JSA claimants, aged 18 to 24, resident in the Hemel Hempstead constituency—Annual averages
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000 165 
			 2001 160 
			 2002 215 
			 2003 265 
			 2004 275 
		
	
	Note:
	1. Computerised claims only.
	2. Data rounded to nearest 5 for disclosure control.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

Lisbon Goals

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of progress towards the Lisbon goals for European economic reform.

John Healey: In "Growth and Opportunity: Prioritising Economic Reform in Europe" (HM Treasury, February 2005) the Government set out their assessment of the Lisbon strategy. While some progress has been made, concerted action is still needed to increase employment and productivity in Europe.
	In particular, to meet the Lisbon target of 70 per cent. employment by 2010, 23 million more Europeans will need to find work. This necessitates a comprehensive programme of reform to improve levels of skills in the labour force and to facilitate greater adaptability to change.
	In addition, US productivity levels remain substantially above those in the EU. Tackling this requires further structural reform to enhance product market competition in Europe and to create the right climate for enterprise and innovation to flourish.
	A further assessment of the structural economic challenges facing Europe was set out in "Global Europe: Full Employment Europe" published by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October 2005 available at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/international_ issues/eu_presidency_2005/eu_presidency_2005_index.cfm

Lisbon Goals

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to use the UK's presidency of the European Union to achieve progress towards the Lisbon goals for European economic reform.

John Healey: As set out in the Work Programme of the Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Council, a key priority for the UK presidency of the European Union is to build
	"prosperous, dynamic European economies through implementation of the new Lisbon Agenda to deliver sustainable growth and high employment".
	At an Informal ECOFIN Council on 10 September in Manchester, Ministers and the European Commission agreed on the need for urgent action—at the European level and nationally in the context of Lisbon National Reform Programmes—to deliver growth and full employment for Europe in a global economy, including through:
	modern social and labour market policies that match flexibility with fairness and equip citizens with the skills to succeed;
	further regulatory reform to reduce excessive burdens on business;
	further progress on completing the Single Market, including in services; and
	greater Trade openness, globally and between the EU and its major trade and investment partners.
	The Government is using its presidency to promote progress in all of these areas.

Productivity

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual change in gross domestic product per hour worked was in each year since 1975; and what assessment he has made of whether productivity trends are improving.

John Healey: Official statistics for whole economy output per hour is only available from 1993. The annual change in whole economy output per hour for each year since then is:
	
		Annual growth in whole economy output per hour Percentage
		
			  Annual growth 
		
		
			 1994 3.0 
			 1995 1.4 
			 1996 1.7 
			 1997 1.5 
			 1998 2.6 
			 1999 2.2 
			 2000 3.8 
			 2001 1.0 
			 2002 1.8 
			 2003 2.0 
			 2004 2.5 
		
	
	Source:
	ONS
	The pre-Budget report 2005 will include an updated assessment on productivity performance in the UK. As reported in the HM Treasury Departmental Report 2005, the UK is making progress in boosting its productivity performance: between 1997 and 2001Q3, the UK trend rate of actual productivity growth on an output per worker basis (figures not adjusted for employment growth) is estimated to have grown by 2.5 per cent. a year compared with a growth rate of 2 per cent. a year in the previous economic cycle (1986Q2—1997H1). Adjusting for the effect of employment growth, it is estimated that the underlying trend rate of productivity growth was 2.7 per cent. between 1997H1—2001Q3 compared to 2.2 per cent. over the previous economic cycle (1986Q2—1997H1).

Iraq

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many units of the Iraqi Security Forces are able to conduct counter-insurgency operations without support from the multi-national forces;
	(2)  how many Iraqi (a) ground combat battalions and (b) military and special police forces are conducting operations against insurgency; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on progress in recruiting and training of the Iraqi (a) army, (b) special operations force, (c) strategic infrastructure battalions, (d) navy, (e) air force, (f) police service, (g) special police forces, (h) special police commandos, (i) mechanised police, (j) public order police, (k) emergency response unit, (l) border forces and (m) highway patrol;
	(4)  what estimate the (a) Coalition and (b) Iraqi Government has made of the total combined force structure for the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of the Interior in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: As part of the Coalition force in Iraq, the United Kingdom's area of responsibility is in Multi-National Division (South East). The US has oversight of all Coalition forces in Iraq and it collates all Iraqi Security Force training figures through the Multinational Security Transition Command—Iraq.
	All the requested information is available in the United States Report to Congress, "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq". A copy of this report can be found on the internet at usinfo.state.gov

Married Quarters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new build units in the married quarters estate are planned by his Department in each of the next three years; and how many houses this will replace from the existing married quarters estate.

Don Touhig: The following new build married quarters are planned in England, Wales and Scotland between now and 2008–09:
	
		Project Number of new builds
		
			 Financial year Portsmouth 2 Marchwood Credenhill Glencorse 
		
		
			 2005–06 — (34)40 — 89 
			 2006–07 128 (35)22 45 62 
			 2007–08 20 — — — 
			 2008–09 — — — — 
		
	
	(34) Replacing 14 demolished stock
	(35) Replacing 22 demolished stock

Trident

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of re-fitting each of the Trident submarines was in each year since they were commissioned.

John Reid: holding answer 27 October 2005
	Trident submarine long overhaul period (refuel)s (LOP(R)s), formerly referred to as refits, are being undertaken progressively. The first LOP(R), on HMS Vanguard, has been completed and the second, on HMS Victorious, began in January 2005. The total cost of the LOP(R)s programme up to the end of the last financial year, rounded to the nearest £1 million is as follows. This includes planning work generic to the class as a whole.
	
		Vanguard class spend profile £ million
		
			  Vanguard Victorious 
		
		
			 2000–01 7 — 
			 2001–02 45 — 
			 2002–03 114 — 
			 2003–04 84 8 
			 2004–05 39 55 
			 Total 289 63

Apprenticeships

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes there have been in funding for training organisations providing apprenticeships in the last five years.

Phil Hope: Apprenticeships in England are funded through the work-based learning for young people budget of the Learning and Skills Council. This budget covers apprenticeships, advanced apprenticeships, NVQ learning and entry to employment. The following shows estimated spending by the LSC since it was established in 2001.
	
		
			   £ million 
			  Academic year  Total WBL budget Estimated apprenticeship spend 
		
		
			 2001/02 673 467 
			 2002/03 828 539 
			 2003/04 791 560 
			 2004/05 1,037 810

Basic Skills

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the percentage of the population who lack basic skills, broken down by (a) 18 to 24, (b) 25 to 29, (c) 30 to 34, (d) 35 to 39, (e) 40 to 44, (f) 45 to 49, (g) 50 to 54, (h) 55 to 59, (i) 60 to 64, (j) 65 to 69 and (k) 70 to 75 age groups.

Phil Hope: The "Skills for Life Survey: A national needs and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills" (DfES, October 2003) provides the latest estimates of literacy and numeracy levels across England. The survey assessed the literacy, numeracy and ICT skills of around 8,000 adults aged between 16 and 65 in England.
	The survey findings are shown in the following tables. The age groups in the published data are slightly wider than those requested, at 10 years rather than five, to ensure sufficient sample in each age group to provide a robust estimate. The data also include adults up to age 65 only.
	The assessment levels correspond to the literacy and numeracy National Standards: these were introduced in 2002 to provide a framework for all adult screening tests, diagnostic tools, programmes of study and qualifications. Learners are assessed for levels of literacy and numeracy from Entry Level 1 to Level 2. Level 2 is broadly equivalent to a higher grade GCSE (A*-C).
	Overall around 16 per cent. of adults had literacy skills below Level 1 and 47 per cent. had numeracy skills below this level.
	
		Table 1: Age and literacy level Percentage
		
			  Total (n=7874) 16 to 24 (n=1057) 25 to 34 (n=1774) 35 to 44 (n=2044) 45 to 54 (n=1509) 55 to 65 (n=1488) 
		
		
			 Entry Level 1 or below 3 1 2 2 3 3 
			 Entry Level 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 
			 Entry Level 3 11 9 9 10 12 15 
			 Level 1 40 43 40 39 36 40 
			 Level 2 or above 44 43 47 46 45 38 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Age and numeracy level Percentage
		
			  Total (n=8040) 16 to 24 (n=1092) 25 to 34 (n=1764) 35 to 44 (n=2092) 45 to 54 (n=1551) 55 to 65 (n=1538) 
		
		
			 Entry Level 1 or below 5 5 4 5 6 8 
			 Entry Level 2 16 15 14 15 16 19 
			 Entry Level 3 25 29 24 24 24 26 
			 Level 1 28 27 28 29 27 27 
			 Level 2 or above 25 24 29 27 26 20 
		
	
	A copy of the survey report is in the House of Commons Library and on the DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk

Child Abuse

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of child (a) physical and (b) sexual abuse there have been in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Information reported by councils with social services responsibilities on the number of registrations to child protection registers by category of abuse during the years ending 31 March 2002 to 2004 is shown in the following table. Information prior to this period was collected differently and may be found in Table 1.6 of "Children and Young People on Child Protection Registers, Year Ending 31 March 2001—England". This is available from the Department's website at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/v000517/CPR2001.PDF
	
		Registrations(36) to child protection registers during the years ending 31 March 2002 to 2004, by category of abuse EnglandNumber
		
			  2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Neglect 10,800 11,700 12,600 
			 Physical abuse 5,300 5,700 5,700 
			 Sexual abuse 2,800 3,000 2,800 
			 Emotional abuse 4,700 5,400 5,600 
			 Multiple 4,100 4,400 4,300 
		
	
	(36) Where a child was registered more than once in the year, each registration has been counted. Registrations include unborn children.

City Academy Students

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in each city academy are children with special educational needs (a) with statements and (b) without statements.

Maria Eagle: The answer to your question is detailed in the table below. We only have data for the 17 academies which opened in or before September 2004. All data is from the academic year 2004/05. The data on pupils with SEN in the 10 academies which opened in September 2005 will not be available until after the annual school census in January 2006.
	
		
			 Name of academy Number of pupils with SEN but without statements Number of pupils with statements of SEN 
		
		
			 Mossbourne Community Academy 42 9 
			 Lambeth Academy 15 12 
			 City of London (Southwark) Academy 46 22 
			 The Academy at Peckham 446 39 
			 London Academy 406 53 
			 The Business Academy Bexley 585 76 
			 Capital City Academy 225 20 
			 The West London Academy 324 150 
			 Greig City Academy 181 5 
			 Stockley Academy 174 19 
			 The Walsall City Academy 30 17 
			 Manchester Academy 97 7 
			 The City Academy, Bristol 266 41 
			 Unity City Academy 359 32 
			 The King's Academy 244 95 
			 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham 416 (37)— 
			 Northampton Academy 328 33 
		
	
	(37) Numbers under 5 have been deleted to remove the possibility of identifying individual pupils.

Further Education

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will initiate a publicity campaign to persuade adults and employers that there is a need to pay higher fees for courses provided by further education colleges; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The recent Learning and Skills Council publication "Priorities for Success: Funding for Learning and Skills" made the commitment that
	"Government and the LSC with partners in the skills alliance will make sure that (adult learning funding) priorities are communicated nationally and locally to explain and reinforce work with learners and employers at institutional level"
	(paragraph 70, page 20).
	Government, Learning and Skills Council and other partners' publicity campaigns over the coming months will meet this commitment by demonstrating the many different rewards to individual learners, employers and the community that can be achieved through investment of time, effort and money in learning.

GCSE Results

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to her oral answer of 27 October 2005, Official Report, column 440, to the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid-Kent (Hugh Robertson), on GCSE results, what the evidential basis is for her statement that improvements in reading, writing and arithmetic followed after 50 years of no progress at all in raising primary school standards.

Jacqui Smith: The statement made in the answer to the oral question referred to is based on the conclusions from the research "Standards in Literacy and Numeracy" conducted by Greg Brooks, Derek Foxman and Tom Gorman, National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), published by the National Commission on Education in December 1992. Updates to this research, "Standards in Literacy and Numeracy 1948–1994" and "Trends in the Standards of Literacy in the United Kingdom: 1948—1996" were published in 1995 and 1996 respectively.
	One of the main findings of this research was that in the period between 1948 and 1996 average levels of performance of primary school children had remained much the same.

Gifted and Talented Youth

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (a) how many and (b) what proportion of secondary school pupils are members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (i) in total, (ii) broken down by local education authority and (iii) in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Jacqui Smith: The White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools For All" makes clear our commitment to offer membership of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth to the full cohort of eligible 11–19 year olds.
	The National Academy has to date recruited 70,982 members from secondary schools. This is 1.78 per cent. of secondary school pupils in England. Figures for local education authorities are in the following table. The Academy has 67 secondary members in the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.
	
		Table 1: Number of NAGTY members by region and local education authority
		
			   Total secondary school population Number of NAGTY members NAGTY members as a percentage of total population 
		
		
			  East of England 457,930 9,809 2.142 
			 820 Bedfordshire 44,125.5 586 1.328 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 41,293 1,446 3.502 
			 881 Essex 103,306.5 1,179 1.141 
			 919 Hertfordshire 103,336 3,874 3.749 
			 821 Luton 13,049.5 376 2.881 
			 926 Norfolk 53,358.5 633 1.186 
			 874 Peterborough 13,528 427 3.156 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 14,043 998 7.107 
			 935 Suffolk 63,022 268 0.425 
			 883 Thurrock 8,868.5 22 0.248 
			  
			  East Midlands 337,620 7,754 2.297 
			 831 Derby 18,092 324 1.791 
			 830 Derbyshire 56,055.5 1,851 3.302 
			 856 Leicester 21,455.5 782 3.645 
			 855 Leicestershire 52,602 978 1.859 
			 925 Lincolnshire 53,084 1,683 3.170 
			 928 Northamptonshire 54,530.5 583 1.069 
			 892 Nottingham 18,941.5 548 2.893 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 58,389 999 1.711 
			 857 Rutland 4,473.5 6 0.134 
			  
			  London 568,050 7,453 1.312 
			  Inner London 197,210 2,158 1.094 
			 202 Camden 17,254 236 1.368 
			 201 City of London 1,920 12 0.625 
			 204 Hackney 13,616 69 0.507 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 12,435 89 0.716 
			 309 Haringey 14,500.5 68 0.469 
			 206 Islington 8,859.5 0 0.000 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 14,320 107 0.747 
			 208 Lambeth 10,604 130 1.226 
			 209 Lewisham 15,153.5 39 0.257 
			 316 Newham 18,662.5 235 1.259 
			 210 Southwark 18,273.5 337 1.844 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 15,390 17 0.110 
			 212 Wandsworth 20,080 664 3.307 
			 213 Westminster 16,144.5 155 0.960 
			  
			  Outer London 370,825 5,295 1.428 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 12,406 173 1.394 
			 302 Barnet 27,727 154 0.555 
			 303 Bexley 20,632.5 328 1.590 
			 304 Brent 19,296 356 1.845 
			 305 Bromley 27,376.5 601 2.195 
			 306 Croydon 28,402.5 292 1.028 
			 307 Ealing 21,742.5 486 2.235 
			 308 Enfield 23,807.5 134 0.563 
			 203 Greenwich 18,317.5 98 0.535 
			 310 Harrow 14,082.5 167 1.186 
			 311 Havering 17,564 497 2.830 
			 312 Hillingdon 22,010 287 1.304 
			 313 Hounslow 17,889.5 433 2.420 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 13,297 121 0.910 
			 315 Merton 12,212 1 0.008 
			 317 Redbridge 24,550 660 2.688 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 15,626 131 0.838 
			 319 Sutton 17,768 258 1.452 
			 320 Waltham Forest 16,123.5 118 0.732 
			  
			  North East 197,920 4,145 2.094 
			 841 Darlington 7,133.5 251 3.519 
			 840 Durham 35,267 435 1.233 
			 390 Gateshead 14,266.5 159 1.114 
			 805 Hartlepool 6,593 333 5.051 
			 806 Middlesbrough 9,499.5 184 1.937 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 22,239 733 3.296 
			 392 North Tyneside 15,092.5 560 3.710 
			 929 Northumberland 31,272 257 0.822 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 10,244 201 1.962 
			 393 South Tyneside 10,362.5 232 2.239 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 14,849.5 361 2.431 
			 394 Sunderland 21,095.5 439 2.081 
			  
			  North West 532,750 9,222 1.731 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 13,072 102 0.780 
			 890 Blackpool 10,118 121 1.196 
			 350 Bolton 23,296.5 176 0.755 
			 351 Bury 14,447 65 0.450 
			 875 Cheshire 56,494.5 860 1.522 
			 909 Cumbria 39,062 431 1.103 
			 876 Halton 8,333.5 130 1.560 
			 340 Knowsley 10112 45 0.445 
			 888 Lancashire 84031 .5 924 1.100 
			 341 Liverpool 36,222 874 2.413 
			 352 Manchester 31,481 207 0.658 
			 353 Oldham 18,556 620 3.341 
			 354 Rochdale 14,871 227 1.526 
			 355 Salford 15,436 261 1.691 
			 343 Sefton 24,264.5 483 1.991 
			 342 St. Helens 13,046.5 351 2.690 
			 356 Stockport 21,878 304 1.390 
			 357 Tameside 16,267 142 0.873 
			 358 Trafford 18,492 381 2.060 
			 877 Warrington 14273 311 2.179 
			 359 Wigan 21,636 1,076 4.973 
			 344 Wirral 27,358.5 1,131 4.134 
			  
			  South East 668,965 12,697 1.898 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 8,925.5 48 0.538 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 17,377 457 2.630 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 43,604.5 522 1.197 
			 845 East Sussex 36,856.5 205 0.556 
			 850 Hampshire 89,871.5 1,172 1.304 
			 921 Isle of Wight 13,201 184 1.394 
			 886 Kent 120,702 3,055 2.531 
			 887 Medway 22522 169 0.750 
			 826 Milton Keynes 14,665.5 28 0.191 
			 931 Oxfordshire 53,378.5 1,370 2.567 
			 851 Portsmouth 13,278 123 0.926 
			 870 Reading 8,994 1,367 15.199 
			 871 Slough 9,364.5 77 0.822 
			 852 Southampton 13,858 137 0.989 
			 936 Surrey 98,378 1,718 1.746 
			 869 West Berkshire 15,590.5 499 3.201 
			 938 West Sussex 58,028 286 0.493 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 16,441.5 421 2.561 
			 872 Wokingham 13,924 859 6.169 
			  South West 392,885 6,579 1.675 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 17,058.5 371 2.175 
			 837 Bournemouth 11515 33 0.287 
			 801 Bristol, City of 25,863.5 519 2.007 
			 908 Cornwall 36,175.5 824 2.278 
			 878 Devon 51,594 1,017 1.971 
			 835 Dorset 36,513.5 364 0.997 
			 916 Gloucestershire 49,692 457 0.920 
			 420 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0.000 
			 802 North Somerset 14,060.5 406 2.888 
			 879 Plymouth 20,472.5 331 1.617 
			 836 Poole 9,760.5 25 0.256 
			 933 Somerset 42,949 1,315 3.062 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 18,733.5 271 1.447 
			 866 Swindon 11,739 307 2.615 
			 880 Torbay 10,100.5 86 0.851 
			 865 Wiltshire 36,644 253 0.690 
			  
			  West Midlands 429,710 5,882 1.369 
			 330 Birmingham 79,943.5 371 0.464 
			 331 Coventry 24,658.5 774 3.139 
			 332 Dudley 21,495 438 2.038 
			 884 Herefordshire 12,564.5 35 0.279 
			 333 Sandwell 20,178.5 243 1.204 
			 893 Shropshire 23,272.5 447 1.921 
			 334 Solihull 19,356.5 245 1.266 
			 860 Staffordshire 66,887.5 836 1.250 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 15,448.5 381 2.466 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 12,788 144 1.126 
			 335 Walsall 23,048 279 1.211 
			 937 Warwickshire 41,163 593 1.441 
			 336 Wolverhampton 19,035.5 301 1.581 
			 885 Worcestershire 49,869.5 795 1.594 
			  
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 386,995 7,441 1.923 
			 370 Barnsley 13,935 536 3.846 
			 380 Bradford 39,836.5 358 0.899 
			 381 Calderdale 17,122 34 0.199 
			 371 Doncaster 22832 410 1.796 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 25,282 633 2.504 
			 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 17,651 333 1.887 
			 382 Kirklees 28,787.5 636 2.209 
			 383 Leeds 53,775 702 1.305 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 11,824.5 107 0.905 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 11,102 291 2.621 
			 815 North Yorkshire 49,031.5 1510 3.080 
			 372 Rotherham 21,037 245 1.165 
			 373 Sheffield 34,920 859 2.460 
			 384 Wakefield 26,978.5 171 0.634 
			 816 York 12,878.5 616 4.783

Language Teaching

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to encourage more students in secondary schools to take language GCSEs.

Jacqui Smith: In March 2005 the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced a £115 million "Boost for Modern Foreign Languages", providing support for language teaching and learning for this and the next two years.
	Part of that funding will support new approaches for teaching and learning for 11 to 18-year-olds, including alternative qualifications to traditional GCSEs and vocational options at key stage 4 which will provide more flexibility for pupils in their studies and meet the needs of a wider range of pupils. We have expanded the list of qualifications that count towards performance table scores to include more language qualifications. We are also funding a range of projects and materials to promote languages and to develop innovative curricular models which will be show-cased to provide schools with delivery ideas and support. For example, we funded CILT, the National Centre for Languages to produce 'Languages Work', a suite of materials designed to promote the value of language learning, support take up of languages beyond key stage 3, and how language skills can enhance future employability.
	Last September the new languages recognition scheme, the languages ladder, became available nationally. The scheme can be used by learners of all ages and is available in eight languages. The scheme differs from existing approaches to assessment in that there are separate qualifications in each language for reading, writing, listening and speaking. The scheme can provide motivation and recognition of achievement at key stage 3, thus encouraging take up at key stage 4. Finally, the scheme can support language learning at key stage 4 within a wide range of learning pathways, including vocational and work-related contexts.

Learning and Skills Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what change to the administration costs of the Learning and Skills Council she expects through the planned streamlining operation.

Bill Rammell: The LSC's core administration costs have fallen steadily from 4.6 per cent. of total funding in 2001–02, to 2.5 per cent. of its planned total budget in 2005–06. The LSC's administration budget for the next two years was set out in the Secretary of State's Grant Letter issued on 31 October 2005. This Grant Letter provides the LSC with just over £252 million (2.4 per cent. of planned total budget) for 2006–07 and just under £240 million (2.2 per cent. of planned total budget) for 2007–08 to cover its administration costs including the cost of capital and depreciation. This reflects efficiency savings already agreed. The overall administration budget will be reassessed when the results of the consultation on the LSC's "Agenda for Change", particularly its restructuring, are finalised. At this stage further savings could be released to the sector.

School Building Repairs

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the requirement for school building repairs in Leeds, North-West; and what estimate she has made of the cost in each school.

Jacqui Smith: The following table shows requirements for school building repairs in Leeds, North-West, based on data supplied to the Department by the local education authority in 2003. Costs have been updated to current costs. In addition to backlog repair work, the figures cover work needed over a five year period from the dates of the assessments, including cyclical and scheduled maintenance.
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996–97 to £5.5 billion this year and will rise further to £6.3 billion by 2007–08. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock.
	
		Building repairs for schools in Leeds, North-West £
		
			 Investment 
		
		
			 Wigton Moor Primary School 489,364 
			 Chapel Allerton Primary School 138,837 
			 Gledhow Primary School 246,522 
			 Miles Hill Primary School 0 
			 Potternewton Primary School 194,107 
			 Talbot Primary School 308,892 
			 Bracken Edge Primary School 875,350 
			 Kerr Mackie Primary School 24,941 
			 Hillcrest Primary School 572,465 
			 Alwoodley Primary School 718,103 
			 Carr Manor Primary School 17,535 
			 Highfield Primary School 254,559 
			 Moor Allerton Hall Primary School 77,979 
			 Moortown Primary School 80,188 
			 Shadwell Primary School 6,913 
			 Fir Tree Primary School 345,687 
			 Harewood Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary  School 59,087 
			 Roundhay St. John's Church of England Primary School 32,709 
			 St. Urban's Catholic Primary School 3,460 
			 St. Paul's Catholic Primary School 37,388 
			 Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School 52,476 
			 Holy Rosary and St. Anne's Catholic Primary School 182,939 
			 Archbishop Cranmer Church of England Primary School 281,510 
			 St. Matthew's Church of England Aided Primary School 902,020 
			 Brodetsky Primary School 167,473 
			 Allerton High School 1,694,672 
			 Allerton Grange School 1,870,847 
			 Carr Manor High School 305,275 
			 Roundhay School Technology College 752,295 
			 Braim Wood Boys' High School 262,593 
			 John Jamieson School 278,275 
			 Stonegate School 230,139 
			 Penny Field School 116,292 
			 Elmete Wood—BESD SILC 649,777

School Non-attenders

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the proportion of children between the ages of five and 16 years who do not attend school.

Jacqui Smith: The Government makes no estimates of the proportion of children between the ages of five and 16 years who do not attend school. There is currently no reliable statistical source from which to estimate of the number of children who do not attend school. In due course, the information sharing index, provided for in Section 12 of the Children Act 2004, would enable more accurate estimates to be made.
	In the meantime, the Government is concentrating on improving practice in identifying children missing, or at risk of going missing, from education and placing them in suitable provision. In the White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools for All—More Choice for Parents and Pupils" we announced our intention to introduce a new statutory duty on local authorities to identify children missing education.

Skills for Life Courses

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Skills for Life courses at Entry Level 1 cover elements of the Skills for Life course at Entry Level 2.

Phil Hope: All Skills for Life courses funded by the Learning and Skills Council for England are referenced to the National Standards for Literacy and Numeracy, which cover Entry Levels 1, 2 and 3 and Levels 1 and 2. This ensures that there is consistency in a learner's studies across the country, whatever their environment or situation. The standards are constructed to facilitate progression from one level to the next in order to promote high quality learning which naturally leads the learner through the levels and where each level sets the context for higher level work in the next. Entry Level 2 Skills for Life courses build on the work done at Entry Level 1 but broaden and raise the expected levels of achievement. For instance, in literacy the contexts are extended from "forms, lists, messages, notes and records" at Entry Level 1 to also include "e-mails and simple narratives" at Entry Level 2.

Special Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the White Paper, "High Standards, Better Schools for All" what the issues are that arise for special schools from Trust status; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The White Paper "Higher Standards, Better Schools for All" states that to spread innovation and diversity across the whole school system, we will promote the establishment of self-governing Trust schools. We acknowledge in the White Paper that Trust status for special schools raises a number of complex issues and we will continue to work with schools to decide the best way forward.

Disability Living Allowance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average waiting time has been between the rejection of an application for disability living allowance and an appeal hearing in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Anne McGuire: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, chief executive of the Appeals Service. She will reply to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Christina Townsend to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 7 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question regarding what the average waiting time has been between the rejection of an application for Disability Living Allowance and an appeal hearing in each of the last five years for which records are available.
	The information you have requested is shown in the table below.
	
		Great Britain, DLA appeals 2000–05 by average duration
		
			  Average duration (Weeks) 
		
		
			 2000–01 33.08 
			 2001–02 31.81 
			 2002–03 30.38 
			 2003–04 28.88 
			 2004–05 27.68 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.
	2. "Lodged" denotes when an appeal is submitted to the first tier agency. Lodged data only enters the GAPS database when the Appeal reaches the Appeals Service.
	3. Duration is derived by calculating the time difference from when an appeal is lodged until when it is cleared. It is represented in weeks.
	4. Years are represented from April to March in each instance.
	Source:
	100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System.
	I hope this reply is helpful.

Disability Living Allowance

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the (a) average and (b) total cost is to the disability and carers service of defending decisions to refuse claims for disability living allowance against appeals;
	(2)  what the (a) average and (b) total cost is to the disability and carers service of reconsidering claims for disability living allowance that were initially rejected;
	(3)  what the (a) average and (b) total cost is to the disability and carers service of processing new claims for disability living allowance.

Anne McGuire: The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the chief executive of the disability and carers service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Terry Moran to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 7 November 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service (DCS), to reply to your questions concerning the (a) average and (b) total cost to the DCS of defending decisions to refuse claims for disability living allowance against appeals, of reconsidering claims for disability living allowance that were initially rejected, and of processing new claims for disability living allowance.
	The information is not available in the format requested for appeals and reconsiderations.
	I am only able to provide the average cost and total cost for all appeal applications and reconsideration requests, not just those that were refused or rejected.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Average cost Total cost(53) 
		
		
			 Appeal 100.77 3,320,992 
			 Reconsideration 44.06 1,616,371 
			 Claim 67.63 9,570,156 
			 Special Rules claim 52.62 376,424 
		
	
	(53) Year to July 2005.
	Notes:
	1. Figures for actual year to date at July 2005.
	2. The costs include medical evidence.
	3. Includes direct staff costs only for those processing the events.
	4. The special rules cover people who suffer from a progressive disease that is so severe that they are not expected to live longer than six months.
	I hope you find this information useful and I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the claimant off-flow rates from (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disability allowance were in each of the last 15 years, broken down by reason for leaving the benefit.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the tables.
	
		Incapacity benefit off-flows by reason for termination for quarters shown Thousand
		
			  All Closed certificate Death of claimant Award of state pension Failed OOT Failed PCA Other reason 
		
		
			 May 1995 198.1 — — (54)0.1 — — 198.0 
			 August 1995 239.7 — — — — — 239.7 
			 November 1995 266.4 — — — — — 266.4 
			 February 1996 259.8 — — (54)0.1 — — 259.7 
			 May 1996 272.1 — — (54)0.1 — — 272.0 
			 August 1996 244.6 — — — — — 244.6 
			 November 1996 225.6 104.8 6.1 — 0.5 36.7 77.4 
			 February 1997 230.4 89.3 6.7 5.6 (54)0.2 35.1 93.5 
			 May 1997 247.9 83.1 5.6 15.2 (54)0.4 38.1 105.6 
			 August 1997 233.8 87.4 5.8 17.8 0.6 34.8 87.5 
			 November 1997 238.1 86.6 6.4 17.4 0.7 36.1 90.8 
			 February 1998 223.5 78.7 6.1 18.7 0.9 36J 82.4 
			 May 1998 232.2 83.2 6.5 21.2 0.9 34.1 86.3 
			 August 1998 210.0 69.5 5.1 20.7 1.2 35.0 78.6 
			 November 1998 235.0 65.3 5.9 19.2 1.1 — 143.5 
			 February 1999 189.0 66.5 6.3 19.4 1.4 31.7 63.8 
			 May1999 208.6 60.5 5.7 23.3 1.3 30.0 87.9 
			 August 1999 210.6 57.6 6.1 23.5 0.8 27.9 94.7 
			 November 1999 207.7 61.0 5.4 22.0 1.0 28.1 90.2 
			 February 2000 205.6 57.2 6.7 22.9 1.2 27.4 90.3 
			 May 2000 187.1 58.8 5.4 17.0 1.2 24.4 80.3 
			 August 2000 169.2 55.6 4.7 9.2 1.6 22.8 75.3 
			 November 2000 174.7 56.0 5.5 8.4 1.4 20.1 83.3 
			 February 2001 177.8 52.2 6.6 8.9 1.3 18.5 90.5 
			 May 2001 181.5 55.4 5.9 11.3 1.3 19.9 87.7 
			 August 2001 170.5 49.6 5.5 10.2 1.3 21.4 82.5 
			 November 2001 182.8 53.5 5.7 10.0 1.3 26.1 86.1 
			 February 2002 171.1 47.7 5.9 11.2 1.1 23.7 81.7 
			 May 2002 176.2 47.7 4.8 12.1 1.0 25.6 85.2 
			 August 2002 172.3 45.1 5.5 12.5 0.8 22.7 85.7 
			 November 2002 181.2 47.2 6.1 11.1 1.2 26.8 88.9 
			 February 2003 166.3 41.0 6.0 13.5 0.8 22.9 82.2 
			 May 2003 161.5 42.7 5.5 15.5 0.9 24.3 72.6 
			 August 2003 178.8 41.5 5.5 9.2 1.1 24.5 97.0 
			 November 2003 182.5 43.3 5.8 6.0 1.0 24.6 101.8 
			 February 2004 168.5 37.1 6.7 12.5 0.7 23.3 88.2 
			 May 2004 171.4 38.5 5.5 16.3 0.8 26.4 83.8 
			 August 2004 173.6 35.3 5.8 16.8 0.7 24.3 90.6 
			 November 2004 172.7 37.6 5.3 14.2 0.8 27.0 87.8 
			 February 2005 174.9 34.9 6.4 16.1 (54)0.4 25.8 91.3 
			 May 2005 130.4 37.6 5.8 15.1 0.7 30.7 40.5 
		
	
	
		Severe disability allowance off-flows by reason for termination for quarters shown Thousand
		
			  All Closed certificate Death of claimant Award of state pension Failed OOT Failed PCA Other reason 
		
		
			 May 1995 3.3 — — — — — 3.3 
			 August 1995 5.4 — — — — — 5.4 
			 November 1995 5.7 — — — — — 5.7 
			 February 1996 6.4 — — — — — 6.4 
			 May 1996 5.2 — — — — — 5.2 
			 August 1996 6.7 — — — — — 6.7 
			 November 1996 9.2 0.8 1.4 — — (54)0.2 6.7 
			 February 1997 13.5 0.6 1.7 — — (54)0.4 10.9 
			 May 1997 9.0 (54)0.5 1.3 — — (54)0.3 7.0 
			 August 1997 8.0 0.8 1.7 — — (54)0.3 5.1 
			 November 1997 7.1 0.7 1.9 — — (54)0.2 4.3 
			 February 1998 6.8 0.5 2.0 — — (54)0.2 4.0 
			 May 1998 6.2 (54)0.3 1.3 — — (54)0.3 4.3 
			 August 1998 5.8 (54)0.5 1.4 — — (54)0.3 3.6 
			 November 1998 7.4 (54)0.4 1.5 — — — 5.5 
			 February 1999 4.7 (54)0.2 1.8 — — (54)0.2 2.5 
			 May 1999 5.7 (54)0.2 1.3 — — (54)0.2 4.0 
			 August 1999 6.6 (54)0.4 1.3 — — (54)0.2 4.7 
			 November 1999 6.5 0.5 1.7 — — (54)0.2 4.2 
			 February 2000 7.6 (54)0.2 2.1 — — (54)0.2 5.1 
			 May 2000 6.1 (54)0.3 1.4 — — (54)0.2 4.3 
			 August 2000 5.6 (54)0.4 1.6 — — (54)0.1 3.5 
			 November 2000 5.6 (54)0.3 1.5 — — (54)0.1 3.6 
			 February 2001 5.5 (54)0.3 1.6 — — (54)0.2 3.5 
			 May 2001 5.8 (54)0.3 1.4 — — (54)0.3 3.8 
			 August 2001 4.6 (54)0.4 1.2 — — (54)0.2 2.8 
			 November 2001 5.4 (54)0.2 1.5 — — (54)0.2 3.5 
			 February 2002 4.9 (54)0.2 1.6 — — (54)0.2 2.9 
			 May 2002 4.6 (54)0.1 1.4 — — (54)0.1 2.9 
			 August 2002 4.1 (54)0.1 1.0 — — (54)0.1 2.9 
			 November 2002 4.5 (54)0.2 1.5 — — (54)0.1 2.8 
			 February 2003 4.0 (54)0.1 1.3 — — — 2.5 
			 May 2003 4.4 (54)0.1 1.0 — — (54)0.1 3.2 
			 August 2003 4.3 (54)0.1 1.3 — — — 2.9 
			 November 2003 4.4 (54)0.2 1.3 — — — 2.9 
			 February 2004 4.3 (54)0.1 1.5 — — — 2.6 
			 May 2004 3.3 (54)0.1 1.1 — — (54)0.1 2.0 
			 August 2004 3.8 (54)0.1 1.3 — — (54)0.1 2.4 
			 November 2004 3.5 (54)0.1 1.3 — — (54)0.1 1.9 
			 February 2005 4.2 (54)0.1 1.3 — — (54)0.1 2.8 
			 May 2005 1.9 (54)0.3 1.4 — — — (54)0.2 
		
	
	'—' means nil or negligible.
	(54) Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should only be used as a guide.
	Notes:
	1. These figures have been updated to include late notified terminations, including terminations for retirement pension.
	2. All figures back to 1995 have been revised, and may be subject to further change;
	(a) Figures prior to 2004 are subject to minor changes
	(b) Figures for 2004 include fewer late notifications than previous quarters and will be subject to greater change in future
	(c) Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes, total terminations for May 2004 increased by 33 per cent. in the year following their initial release.
	3. "PCA" means Personal Capability Assessment (formerly the 'All Work Test').
	4. "OOT" means Own Occupation Test.
	5. Due to operational procedures a small number of Personal Capability Assessment terminations appear in 'Other reasons'.
	6. Because of changes to the recording system, terminations due to the all work test are unreliable and are included in 'Other reasons'.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples.

New Deal

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have (a) registered on the new deal for disabled people and (b) obtained a sustained (i) part-time and (ii) full-time job through the new deal for disabled people.

Margaret Hodge: Between July 2001 and May 2005, a total of 144,360 people had registered with a new deal for disabled people (NDDP) job broker. The number of people gaining a job up to May 2005, following registration with an NDDP job broker, was 59,560. Of these, 29,170 were sustained full-time jobs and 8,620 were sustained part-time jobs.
	Notes
	1. For the purposes of new deal for disabled people, a job is regarded as sustained when a person, placed into work through an NDDP job broker, remains in work for 13 out of 39 weeks. Prior to October 2003, an NDDP job was regarded as sustained when a person, placed into work through an NDDP job broker, remained in work for 26 out of 39 weeks. 2. NDDP jobs data relates only to the number of individuals gaining a job through an NDDP Job Broker. A measure of sustainability is not available for non-job broker jobs. 3. Although data is now available on people into jobs through NDDP up to the end of August 2005, data provided is up to the end of May 2005, to allow three months for the job to be recorded as sustained. 4. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
	Source
	DWP Information Directorate

Football Funding (Northern Ireland)

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much (a) lottery and (b) Foundation for Sport and the Arts funding was allocated to (i) soccer and (ii) the Gaelic Football Association in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Richard Caborn: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland has provided the following table that gives a breakdown of figures for lottery funding allocated to (i) soccer and (ii) the Gaelic Football Association in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. I understand that the Foundation for Sport and the Arts does not currently fund soccer or the Gaelic Football Association in Northern Ireland.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Soccer Gaelic Football Association 
		
		
			 2001–02 442,908 657,869 
			 2002–03 696,561 884,462 
			 2003–04 322,149 118,112 
			 2004–05 765,048 750,947 
			 2005–06 9,000 101,330 
		
	
	Note:
	The old lottery capital funding programmes closed during 2004–05. The new programme was launched in January 2005; however no offers were made until October 2005.

Lottery Tickets

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many retailers sell National Lottery tickets; and how many of those retailers also sell Olympic Lottery tickets.

Richard Caborn: We have been informed by Camelot Group plc. the National Lottery operator, that currently 27,686 retailers sell lottery tickets and 88 per cent. of them hold stocks of "Go For Gold" Olympic Lottery scratchcards.

Lottery Tickets

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many retailers selling National Lottery tickets have declined to sell Olympic Lottery tickets.

Richard Caborn: Camelot Group plc. have informed us that they do not collect this information. However, they are not aware of any retailers having declined to sell "Go For Gold" Olympic Lottery scratchcards.

Lottery Tickets

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance has been given to retailers selling National Lottery tickets on the sale of Olympic Lottery tickets.

Richard Caborn: Camelot Group plc. have informed us that guidance for retailers is the same as for other games in the scratchcard portfolio. However, retailers have been informed that Good Cause revenue generated through the "Go For Gold" Olympic Lottery scratchcard would help to raise the funding required to stage the London Games. Camelot maintains on-going dialogue with retailers, who are able to seek help and advice from the operator via the retailer hotline.

Olympic Games

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what rules govern the use of sports stadiums whose name includes an advertisement as a venue for Olympic Sports in 2012.

Richard Caborn: The IOC require all host cities to sign up to a comprehensive "Look of the Games" programme, which includes details of how Olympic venues are presented. All 2012 venues, as part of this programme, have agreed to give LOCOG the exclusive control of all venues naming rights and signage for the period of the Games.

Civil Servants

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what account is taken of differences between the value of civil service pension provision and that of workers in comparable jobs in the private sector in setting the pay of civil servants.

Jim Murphy: When making recommendations to Government on pay for the senior civil service, the independent Senior Salaries Review Body reviews all the elements of the total reward package, including pension, and compares them with those available to executives with similar roles in the private and wider public sectors. The Government are not bound to accept the Review Body's advice but always consider its independent views.
	Departments and agencies have authority to determine pay and conditions for their staff below the senior civil service which are appropriate for their business needs and are consistent with Government's policies on the civil service and take account of the Government's policies on public sector pay. Her Majesty's Treasury's annual "Pay Remit Guidance" makes it clear that pay is only one element of the total reward package. Accordingly, Departments and agencies are expected to take account of the overall package, including pensions, when benchmarking against pay levels in the wider economy.

Great War Medal Index

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the Great War Medal Index cards are privately owned.

Harriet Harman: On 6 May 2005, by authority delegated from the Lord Chancellor, The National Archives (TNA) approved the presentation of the bulk of the First World War Army medal rolls' index cards to the Western Front Association (WFA). A small sub-collection, for awards to women, was separately presented to the Imperial War Museum. Approval in both cases was granted by virtue of section 3.6 of the Public Records Act 1958, under which records thus presented lose their "public record" status and pass into the legal ownership of the recipient institution.

Unsecured Debts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether she plans to bring forward proposals to increase enforcement powers for financial institutions seeking to recover unsecured debts; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: My Department set out proposals to reform the civil enforcement process in the White Paper "Effective Enforcement", published March 2003.
	The introduction of our proposals, which are subject to the availability of parliamentary time for new legislation, seek, among other things, to streamline the charging order process as opposed to increasing powers. In addition, in looking to address the issue of vulnerable debtors and unscrupulous lenders, the proposals aim to tighten the licensing procedure for those involved in enforcement to tackle some of the difficulties experienced within the lending sector. My Department and other Government Departments continue to liaise closely on this.
	While looking to protect vulnerable debtors the Government also recognise that responsible creditors who are owed money and having gained valid judgments through the courts should have the right to enforce that judgment by the most appropriate means available.

Convention on Tibet (Edinburgh)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will be represented at the International Parliamentary Convention on Tibet in Edinburgh in November.

Jack Straw: No. We are aware of the meeting. It is not an official event. The Government has no involvement in it and will not be represented at it.
	Our position in respect of Tibet is long-standing and is unchanged.

Iran

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations are being made to the Iranian Government about the statement made by its President on the right of the state of Israel to exist.

Kim Howells: The United Nations Security Council has spoken for the whole international community in condemning the remarks about Israel attributed to President Ahmadinejad.
	We summoned the Iranian Chargé d'affaires on 27 October to protest. On the same day, we issued a statement on behalf of European Union Heads of Government, which condemned the comments in the strongest terms. The statement emphasised that calls for violence, and for the destruction of any state, are manifestly inconsistent with any claim to be a mature and responsible member of the international community.

Iran

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will break off diplomatic relations with Iran following its President's remarks about Israel.

Kim Howells: The European Union has condemned in the strongest terms the remarks about Israel attributed to President Ahmadinejad. We have also summoned the Iranian Chargé d'Affaires in London to protest.
	The UK's policy towards Iran remains one of critical engagement. We aim to support reform in Iran where possible, and at the same time to encourage Iran to address serious international concerns about its policies in areas such as its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, human rights, and its approach towards terrorism and the Middle East Peace Process.

Green Belt

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what total area of land within the green belt has had a change of use status since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Estimates for average land area within designated green belt that has assumed a change of use each year are from Land Use Change Statistics as shown as follows.
	
		Annual average area of land within 1997 designated green belt that has changed use 1997–2003 Hectares
		
			  New use 
			 Previous use Undeveloped Developed Total 
		
		
			 Undeveloped 3,573 817 4,390 
			 Developed 556 811 1,367 
			 Total 4,129 1,628 5,757

Homelessness

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate how many homeless (a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds there have been in Leeds, North West since 1997; and how many have been placed in bed and breakfast accommodation in Leeds, North West in each year.

Yvette Cooper: As local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation are reported in terms of local housing authority districts, information is collected for Leeds City Council, within which the Leeds, North West constituency is located.
	Under the Housing Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to provide assistance to those who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness, and a main homelessness duty (to ensure that suitable accommodation is available) is owed where the authority is satisfied that the applicant is eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and within a "priority need" category.
	The priority need categories were extended in July 2002 to include all applicants aged 16 or 17. Previously the category "vulnerable young persons" would have included those aged 16 and 17, but these cannot be separately identified. Since that time, the authority has reported 860 applicants aged 16 or 17 and found to be owed a main homelessness duty, as follows:
	
		
			  All acceptances Of which: 16 to 17-year-olds as percentage of All 
		
		
			 July 2002 to March 2003 3,760 264 7 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 4,950 338 7 
			 April 2004 to March 2005 2,780 216 8 
			 April 2005 to June 2005 510 42 8 
		
	
	Applicants with, or expecting, children will be classified under the priority categories "households with dependent children" and "household member pregnant" respectively as the main qualification; these categories may therefore include some 16 and 17-year-old applicants, but these cannot be separately identified.
	Upon acceptance some of these applicants will have been provided with a settled housing solution immediately, while others will have been placed in some form of temporary accommodation, which could include bed and breakfast. As information reported about households in the various forms of temporary accommodation does not distinguish the applicant's age, it is not possible to provide the number 16 and 17-year-olds placed in bed and breakfast. However, Leeds ceased using bed and breakfast to accommodate households after March 2004.

Housing

Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to increase the number of units of (a) social and (b) affordable housing in Hartlepool constituency.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, through Government office for the north-east, is working with a range of bodies in Hartlepool to deal with the issues of social and affordable housing. The borough has considerable reserves of housing land, particularly brown-field land at Victoria Harbour and at Middle Warren, where a wide range of house types and prices can be accommodated.
	The New Deal for Communities (NDC) partnership is working in west central Hartlepool to address the issue of market failure which was becoming a problem. One of the biggest challenges for the NDC is to tackle the decline in older terraced housing in the area, to make it an area where young families want to move into and where people want to stay. A plan has been put in place, approved by residents, and a resident led company, Hartlepool Revival, has been set up to put the plan into action. The company has its own legal status and is seen as the sustainable element of NDC in Hartlepool.
	Excellent groundbreaking work was undertaken by the NDC, which involved wide participation from NDC residents and local stakeholders. This resulted in the publication of the promised Community Housing Plan in May 2003. The Community Housing Plan is the residents' and NDC's way of tackling the housing market failure that parts of the area have suffered.
	The Community Housing Plan was developed by social regeneration consultants, in consultation with local residents, to determine the future of the 113 streets in the NDC area. This ensured community leadership of the creation of a plan which is robust enough to stand up in all necessary legal areas alongside the statutory local plan and the local authority's housing strategy. Hartlepool borough council has an active role in the management of this programme via their presence on the NDC housing sub-group. The plan will establish principles which will guide the "Area Re-Modelling Project" in years 3–10, including establishing areas which may be considered for possible demolition. The plan is expected to transform the NDC area upon completion.

Housing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many dwellings have been refurbished under the decent homes standard programme; and how many further dwellings the Government plans to refurbish under the programme.

Yvette Cooper: Since 1997 we have reduced the number of social homes that do not meet the decent homes standard by more than one million out of a total of 2.1 million. Work completed and plans in place will take us 90 per cent. of the way towards meeting our target of ensuring that all social sector homes meet the standard. We are now focusing our efforts on dealing with the remaining 10 per cent.

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will change the building regulations to ensure that each new build property (a) includes renewable energy facilities and (b) is energy efficient.

Yvette Cooper: Part L of the Building Regulations sets levels for energy performance in ways that offer designers the flexibility to choose solutions that best meet their needs, are cost-effective and practical, and enable innovation. Without prescribing solutions this enables builders to take up the benefits of renewable and other "low and zero carbon" technologies. In September the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced further improvements to these energy efficiency requirements that will come into effect next April and will encourage greater take-up of renewable systems.

Local Government

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received about the proposal to move to whole council local elections every four years, as outlined in the consultation document "Vibrant Local Leadership".

Phil Woolas: Following publication of the discussion document "Vibrant Local Leadership" which indicated that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was minded to agree with the Electoral Commission's recommendation that all English local authorities should hold whole council elections, we have received seven requests from district councils to move to whole council elections and several other representations generally in support of change.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance the Government have provided to local planning authorities on informing nearby local residents that a planning application in their vicinity has been submitted; and what definition of vicinity he uses in this context.

Yvette Cooper: A local planning authority's duty to publicise planning applications is explained in Department of Environment Circular 15/92, "Publicity for Planning Applications". Within the requirements of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995, authorities have discretion to decide what level and type of publicity would be appropriate in a particular case. The term "vicinity" is not defined. However, the circular does urge authorities to go beyond the minimum legal requirements when inviting local people to comment on planning applications. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects authorities to make use of their websites in this context. Authorities should also set out, in Statements of Community Involvement, their own policy on consultation about applications; for example, when and how local amenity or residents' groups should be informed.

Thames Gateway

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the timetable is for the building of the Thames Gateway project.

Yvette Cooper: "Creating Sustainable Communities: Delivering the Thames Gateway", a strategy document launched earlier this year by my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, sets out the vision for growth and regeneration of this important area over the next 10 years and longer. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's target is to deliver 120,000 new homes by 2016 and alongside this are projects to deliver improvements to roads and public transport, infrastructure for health, education and skills and environmental protection. In addition to these large scale infrastructure projects, Government are funding a range of projects that unlock further regeneration or growth potential—for example by revitalising town centres and bringing brownfield land back into productive use.

Travellers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2005, Official Report, column 24W, on Travellers, what the budget of the new Gypsy and Traveller Unit is for 2005–06; and what its planned (a) work programme and (b) activities are.

Yvette Cooper: The Gypsy and Traveller Unit, supported by Government offices in the regions, is working closely with local authorities, local police forces and representatives of the Gypsy and Traveller community, to promote increased site provision alongside effective use of enforcement powers against inappropriate sites. The overall aim is to reduce tensions between Gypsies and Travellers and the settled community through effective accommodation provision and enforcement on public sites. To help with this it is producing a "plain guide" to enforcement powers and is reviewing what more can be done to make them work effectively.
	The unit is also working with other Government Departments and stakeholders to look at the social exclusion and service provision for Gypsies and Travellers.
	The budgeted cost of the unit for 2005–06 is £0.5 million.

Breast Cancer

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is taking to promote breast cancer awareness among women aged (a) 18 to 25 years and (b) 65 to 75 years.

Shaun Woodward: Women in the age group 65 to 75 years of age will have had the opportunity to participate in the Department's breast screening programme (for women aged 50 to 64) and may continue, if they wish, to be screened after age 65. It is the Department's intention to extend the screening programme to all women in the age group 65–70, as soon as possible.
	In March 2003, my Department's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Henrietta Campbell announced the launch of three new leaflets about breast awareness/breast screening. One of these "Looking for Changes" is intended for women of all ages and copies were sent to every GP and practice manager in Northern Ireland, as well as to health promotion units in all four health and social services boards. This leaflet is available in five different languages. Among other things, the leaflet encourages women to make an appointment with their GP if they become aware of any changes in their breasts. Breast cancer is rare in women aged 18–25 years old.

Conviction Rates

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the conviction rate for (a) common assault, (b) breach of peace and (c) drunkenness in each of the last five years broken down by district command unit.

David Hanson: The following tables relate to the years 2000–03 and detail the number of persons prosecuted and convicted at court. The tables are based on the police district command unit in which the offender's address falls. Where numbers are small conviction rates for each DCU are not calculated but the number of prosecutions and convictions are presented, along with the overall conviction rates for each year. Due to changes in the way data is collected figures for 1999 are not directly comparable but table four shows Northern Ireland level prosecutions and convictions for that year, for the three offence categories in question. It should be noted that many offences of common assault, breach of peace and drunkenness may be brought to justice via a police caution rather than via a court prosecution.
	
		Table 1: Number of convictions and conviction rates for common assault offences by police district command unit 2000–03(62)
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 
			 DCU(63) Number Rate(64) (percentage) Number Rate (64) (percentage) Number Rate(64) (percentage) Number Rate(64)(percentage) 
		
		
			 Antrim 27 71 15 60 19 66 10 67 
			 Ards 18 86 31 69 32 80 28 82 
			 Armagh 12 67 7 100 3 18 8 47 
			 Banbridge 13 68 15 79 8 50 15 54 
			 Belfast East 21 78 26 84 16 84 17 68 
			 Belfast North 31 74 29 67 24 63 24 62 
			 Belfast South 14 82 26 74 14 64 19 83 
			 Belfast West 23 79 17 55 13 54 20 69 
			 Ballymena 23 85 21 88 9 56 21 84 
			 Ballymoney 5 38 4 40 4 50 6 67 
			 Carrickfergus 9 69 5 71 8 57 5 63 
			 Coleraine 23 64 31 66 23 74 17 68 
			 Cookstown 11 65 8 67 9 56 3 20 
			 Craigavon 33 77 29 83 19 53 24 69 
			 Castlereagh 15 71 10 71 9 60 10 48 
			 Dungannon 15 51 12 57 10 67 9 60 
			 Down 19 59 24 71 24 77 24 69 
			 Fermanagh 12 60 18 75 20 74 18 62 
			 Foyle 39 67 33 60 33 69 28 78 
			 Larne 16 76 13 72 18 75 11 61 
			 Limavady 31 84 10 77 23 74 18 86 
			 Lisburn 29 74 32 71 18 72 19 70 
			 Magherafelt 13 65 14 78 8 53 8 47 
			 Moyle 6 60 5 63 2 40 4 57 
			 Newtownabbey 16 67 27 64 8 53 5 50 
			 North Down 21 81 24 67 20 74 20 80 
			 Newry and Mourne 20 57 16 50 18 62 10 43 
			 Omagh 23 79 17 68 23 68 16 59 
			 Strabane 16 73 15 71 27 87 12 100 
			 Missing 9 — 5 — 8 — 3 — 
			 Total 563 70 539 68 470 67 432 66 
		
	
	(62) Common assault offences include: common assault, common assault on adult, and common assault on a child/ young person.
	(63) Data are based on the police district command unit in which an offender's address falls. Police district command units became operational in April 2001. However, for the purposes of comparability, calendar year 2000 data are also disaggregated by DCU, rather than police division. Missing data relate to those offenders for which DCU information is not available.
	(64) The conviction rate is based on the number of persons found guilty out of those brought to court for the offence. Caution is recommended when interpreting rates, due to small numbers in some categories.
	
		Table 2: Number of prosecutions and convictions for breach of peace offences by police district command unit 2000–03(65)(66)
		
			  2000 2001 
			 DCU(67) Prosecuted Convicted Prosecuted Convicted 
		
		
			 Antrim 4 4 1 1 
			 Ards 1 1 1 1 
			 Armagh 0 0 2 2 
			 Banbridge 4 4 4 4 
			 Belfast East 4 3 3 3 
			 Belfast North 12 10 11 4 
			 Belfast South 3 3 2 2 
			 Belfast West 11 10 3 3 
			 Ballymena 13 8 2 2 
			 Ballymoney 2 1 0 0 
			 Carrickfergus 1 1 0 0 
			 Coleraine 0 0 5 4 
			 Cookstown 0 0 I 0 
			 Craigavon 7 5 2 2 
			 Castlereagh 1 1 2 1 
			 Dungannon 6 1 1 2 
			 Down 0 0 0 0 
			 Fermanagh 4 1 2 0 
			 Foyle 20 9 14 12 
			 Larne 3 3 3 3 
			 Limavady 6 1 4 4 
			 Lisburn 2 1 6 3 
			 Magherafelt 4 3 3 3 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 0 
			 Newtownabbey 4 3 3 0 
			 Nortli Down 4 4 0 0 
			 Newry and Mourne 9 4 2 1 
			 Omagh 3 1 0 0 
			 Strabane 1 1 7 5 
			 Missing 4 — 0 0 
			 Total 133 85 (64%) 90 62 (69%) 
		
	
	
		
			  2002 2003 
			 DCU(67) Prosecuted Convicted Prosecuted Convicted 
		
		
			 Antrim 0 0 3 3 
			 Ards 1 0 0 0 
			 Armagh 0 0 0 0 
			 Banbridge 0 0 3 0 
			 Belfast East 2 1 0 0 
			 Belfast North 9 7 8 6 
			 Belfast South 1 0 1 1 
			 Belfast West 2 2 4 3 
			 Ballymena 21 1 8 8 
			 Ballymoney 6 1 1 1 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 3 3 
			 Coleraine 5 4 2 1 
			 Cookstown 0 0 2 0 
			 Craigavon 1 1 3 3 
			 Castlereagh 0 0 0 0 
			 Dungannon 3 1 2 0 
			 Down 0 0 0 0 
			 Fermanagh 3 2 0 0 
			 Foyle 12 7 12 10 
			 Larne 9 3 1 1 
			 Limavady 2 1 0 0 
			 Lisburn 1 1 1 1 
			 Magherafelt 1 1 2 0 
			 Moyle 0 0 1 1 
			 Newtownabbey 1 1 0 0 
			 Nortli Down 1 0 1 1 
			 Newry and Mourne 4 1 0 0 
			 Omagh 3 2 0 0 
			 Strabane 1 0 2 2 
			 Missing 0 0 0 0 
			 Total 89 37 (42%) 60 45 (75%) 
		
	
	(65) Breach of the peace offences include behaviour likely to cause breach of the peace, and behaviour likely to cause breach of peace on licensed premises.
	(66) Due to the very small numbers in most cells, a conviction rate (based on the number of persons found guilty out of those brought to court for the offence) has not been calculated for each DCU; however, an overall conviction rate is shown for each calendar year.
	(67) Data are based on the police district command unit in which an offender's address falls. Police district command units became operational in April 2001. However, for the purposes of comparability, calendar year 2000 data are also disaggregated by DCU, rather than police division. Missing data relate to those offenders for which DCU information is not available.
	
		Table 3: Number of prosecutions and convictions for drunkenness of fences by police district command unit 2000–2003(68)(69)
		
			  2000 2001 
			 DCU(70) Prosecuted Convicted Prosecuted Convicted 
		
		
			 Antrim 0 0 1 0 
			 Ards 12 12 9 8 
			 Armagh 1 1 1 1 
			 Banbridge 0 0 3 3 
			 Belfast East 4 4 2 2 
			 Belfast North 8 8 7 5 
			 Belfast South 5 5 7 6 
			 Belfast West 4 2 3 2 
			 Ballymena 2 2 9 8 
			 Ballymoney 4 3 0 0 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 6 5 1 1 
			 Cookstown 1 1 2 1 
			 Craigavon 2 2 1 1 
			 Castlereagh 1 1 0 0 
			 Dungannon 0 0 3 2 
			 Down 5 5 1 1 
			 Fermanagh 7 7 4 4 
			 Foyle 7 6 1 1 
			 Lame 1 1 0 0 
			 Limavady 2 2 0 0 
			 Lisburn 1 0 0 0 
			 Magherafelt 1 0 2 2 
			 Moyle 2 2 1 1 
			 Newtownabbey 2 2 1 1 
			 North Down 1 1 3 3 
			 Newry and Mourne 1 1 4 4 
			 Omagh 0 0 2 2 
			 Strabane 4 4 3 2 
			 Missing 1 1 3 3 
			 Total 85 78 (92%) 74 64 (86%) 
		
	
	
		
			  2002 2003 
			 DCU(70) Prosecuted Convicted Prosecuted Convicted 
		
		
			 Antrim 0 0 1 0 
			 Ards 1 1 1 1 
			 Armagh 0 0 1 1 
			 Banbridge 2 1 0 0 
			 Belfast East 0 0 0 0 
			 Belfast North 6 5 2 2 
			 Belfast South 0 0 3 3 
			 Belfast West 0 0 1 1 
			 Ballymena 3 3 4 4 
			 Ballymoney 1 1 0 0 
			 Carrickfergus 0 0 0 0 
			 Coleraine 4 4 1 1 
			 Cookstown 0 0 2 1 
			 Craigavon 0 0 0 0 
			 Castlereagh 1 1 2 1 
			 Dungannon 0 0 2 2 
			 Down 0 0 2 2 
			 Fermanagh 2 2 1 1 
			 Foyle 4 2 0 0 
			 Lame 0 0 0 0 
			 Limavady 1 1 0 0 
			 Lisburn 0 0 2 2 
			 Magherafelt 0 0 0 0 
			 Moyle 0 0 0 0 
			 Newtownabbey 1 1 0 0 
			 North Down 1 1 1 0 
			 Newry and Mourne 1 1 3 3 
			 Omagh 9 7 6 4 
			 Strabane 2 1 0 0 
			 Missing 2 2 1 1 
			 Total 41 34 (83%) 36 30 (83%) 
		
	
	(68) Drunkenness offences include simple drunk, drunk and disorderly, drunk in charge of animal, entering an aircraft when drunk, being drunk when in aircraft, drunk in charge of child, being drunk in licensed premises. Offences relating to drink under road traffic legislation are excluded.
	(69) Due to the very small numbers in most cells, a conviction rate (based on the number of persons found guilty out of those brought to court for the offence) has not been calculated for each DCU; however, an overall conviction rate is shown for each calendar year.
	(70) Data are based on the police district command unit in which an offender's address falls. Police district command units became operational in April 2001. However, for the purposes of comparability, calendar year 2000 data are also disaggregated by DCU, rather than police division. Missing data relate to those offenders for which DCU information is not available.
	
		Table 4: Number of prosecutions, convictions and conviction rates for common assault, breach of peace and drunkenness offences—1999
		
			 Offence Prosecutions Convictions Conviction rate(74) (percentage) 
		
		
			 Common assaults(71) 1,086 814 75 
			 Breach of peace(72) 205 157 77 
			 Drunkenness(73) 165 141 85 
		
	
	(71) Common assault offences include: common assault, common assault on adult, and common assault on a child/young person.
	(72) Breach of the peace offences include behaviour likely to cause breach of the peace, and behaviour likely to cause breach of peace on licensed premises.
	(73) Drunkenness offences include simple drunk, drunk and disorderly, drunk in charge of animal, entering an aircraft when drunk, being drunk when in aircraft, drunk in charge of child, being drunk in licensed premises. Offences relating to drink under road traffic legislation are excluded.
	(74) The conviction rate is based on the number of persons found guilty out of those brought to court for the offence.

Departmental Finance/Genetic Testing

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety Research and Development Fund in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on access to genetic testing for individuals in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: The amount of funding allocated to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Research and Development Fund in each of the last five financial years was as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
			  Allocation 
		
		
			 2000–01 8,765 
			 2001–02 8,621 
			 2002–03 8,640 
			 2003–04 10,582 
			 2004–05 11,247 
		
	
	The HPSS Research and Development Office have no dealings nor have funded genetic testing for individuals in the Province in the last five years.

Fair Employment

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will meet the Equality Commission to discuss the implications of the maps presented in chapter six of the Commission's publication, Fair Employment in Northern Ireland A Generation On.

Angela Smith: I am aware of the research published by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in "Fair Employment: A Generation On". I have asked officials to consider the implications of the maps in chapter six of this publication, to discuss this with the Equality Commission and to keep Ministers advised as necessary.

Hospital Travel Cost Scheme

William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the qualifying criteria are for patients wishing to access the hospital travel cost scheme (HTCS); what financial provision is available under the scheme; and what the level of uptake of the HTCS has been in each of the four health board areas in each of the past three years.

Shaun Woodward: Information on entitlement to hospital travel costs is contained in part 2 of the Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004, which are available on the website www.opsi.gov.uk.
	The financial provision available under the scheme is governed by the regulations, which state:
	"(5) The amount of any HS travel expenses to which a person is entitled under these Regulations
	(a) must be calculated by reference to the cost of travelling by the cheapest means of transport which is reasonable having regard to the person's age, medical condition and any other relevant circumstances; and
	(b) where travel is by private car, may include a mileage allowance and car parking expenses."
	The level of uptake in monetary terms is included in the following table. It should be noted that the figures for 2002–03 are incomplete.
	
		
			£ 
			  2002–03(77) 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 NHSSB 81,219.00 89,508.00 88,128.00 
			 SHSSB 55,285.60 59,965.98 60,291.78 
			 EHSSB 349,539.02 554,004.54 626,648.07 
			 WHSSB 173,625.00 196,313.00 207,368.00 
			 Total (77)659,668.62 899,791.52 982,435.85 
		
	
	(77) Due to a change in computer systems Foyle, Newry and Mourne, Homefirst, South and East Belfast, the Royal Group of Hospitals and Down Lisburn Trusts were not able to provide figures for the year 2002–03.

Housing Associations

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what the average length of time taken to process planning applications for housing associations in Northern Ireland was in each year since 2001;
	(2)  how many applications for planning have been made by housing associations in Northern Ireland in each year since 1999; what the average approval time was; what the average validation time was; and what the annual percentage change in planning fees was.

Angela Smith: The information requested is included in the following tables.
	
		Table 1: Number of planning applications from housing associations between 2000 and 2005 with average processing and validation times.
		
			  2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Number of applications 97 85 81 80 110 81 
			 Average processing times in weeks 23.3 22.7 28.8 28 27.4 29.1 
			 Average processing times to approval in weeks 23.3 22.7 28.8 27.2 27.1 27.7 
			 Average validation times in weeks 2.2 3 2.5 2 3.4 2.7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. It is only possible to provide accurate data for the last five years, as all the information for 1999 is not held electronically by the planning service. It would be possible to extract the information for 1999 but at a disproportionate cost as it would involve a manual examination of approximately 22,182 files.
	2. It should be noted that it is not always explicit that an application is on behalf of a housing association as applications may be submitted by an agent without reference to the association on the application forms.
	
		Table 2: Percentage increase in planning fees between 1999 and 2005 Percentage
		
			  Increase in planning fees 
		
		
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 3 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 14 
			 2004 10 
			 2005 12

Medical Negligence

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid out due to medical negligence in each health board in each of the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: Amounts paid in settlement of clinical negligence claims in relation to the previous four years is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			 £000 
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 EHSSB 2,527 3,845 6,395 3,266 
			 NHSSB 1,775 5,633 1,026 3,590 
			 SHSSB 629 962 5,638 3,845 
			 WHSSB 2,484 3,112 2,135 1,020 
			 Total 7,415 13,552 15,194 11,721 
		
	
	The information relating to the previous six years is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The amount paid in any one year in respect of clinical negligence can vary considerably due to the uncertain timing of the settlement of cases.

Multiple Sclerosis

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of prescription price reductions for multiple sclerosis disease modifying treatments (DMTs) since 2002; what change there has been in (a) the cost per person in each year, (b) the numbers of multiple sclerosis patients receiving DMTs in each board area in each year, (c) the waiting lists and waiting times for DMTs in each board area in each year and (d) the expenditure by each board on DMTs in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Since 2002, disease modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis have been provided under a UK-wide risk sharing scheme agreed between the UK health departments and the product manufacturers. Costs vary according to which drug a patient is prescribed. The cost per patient per year of the drugs being supplied to the health service for the purposes of the scheme are:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Cost per patient per year 
		
		
			 Avonex 8,502 
			 Betaferon 7,259 
			 Copaxone 5,823 
			 Rebif  
			 Lower dose 7,513 
			 Higher dose 8,942 
		
	
	These costs have remained unchanged since 2002.
	(b) The number of patients receiving disease modifying treatments in each board area in each year for which information is available is shown in the following. These figures include patients on break from treatment.
	
		
			  30 April 2003(78) 30 April 2004(78) 30 April 2005 30 September 2005 
		
		
			 Eastern 171 200 220 219 
			 Northern 123 159 176 179 
			 Southern 72 100 104 103 
			 Western 76 74 73 75 
			 Total 442 533 573 576 
		
	
	(78) Information on DMTs was not collected by the Department on a regular basis prior to May 2004; these earlier figures have been provided by Royal Group of Hospitals Trust.
	(c) Information on the number of patients waiting for treatment in each board area in each year for which information is available is shown in the following table. Comparable information on waiting lists for disease modifying treatment was not collected on a regular basis prior to September 2004.
	
		
			  30 September 2004 31 March 2005 30 September 2005 
		
		
			 Eastern 10 30 56 
			 Northern 33 34 56 
			 Southern 11 7 16 
			 Western 16 16 19 
			 Total 70 87 147 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Patients currently suspended from the waiting list are excluded from these figures.
	2. Information is not available on waiting times.
	(d) The boards have advised that expenditure on DMTs in each year was as shown in the following table.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Eastern Northern Southern Western(79) 
		
		
			 2002–03 1,435,745 993,850 558,862 438,132 
			 2003–04 1,544,745 1,150,891 714,420 439,930 
			 2004–05 1,637,315 1,267,089 796,111 565,149 
		
	
	(79) Excludes healthcare at home costs
	The Department will continue to seek to improve access to specialist medicines, which offer the potential for significant improvement in patient care. This year, an estimated £4.7 million will be spent on providing disease-modifying therapies for people with multiple sclerosis.

Smoking-related Deaths

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many smoking-related deaths there were in Northern Ireland in the last four years; and how many people he estimates smoked regularly in each age group in each of the last four years.

Angela Smith: Smoking history is rarely recorded on death certificates. Estimates can however be made of the number of deaths attributable to smoking, by using information on the contribution that smoking makes to specific conditions recorded at death. The Health Development Agency 1 published the most recent estimates for Northern Ireland in 2004. This report estimated that over the period 1998–2002, an average of 2,300 deaths were caused by smoking each year in Northern Ireland.
	The most recent survey estimates of the percentage of the population of Northern Ireland who smoke are given in the following table.
	1 Twigg, L., Moon, G., and Walker, S. The smoking epidemic in England, Health Development Agency, 2004 (http://www.publichealth.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502811).
	
		Table: Prevalence of smoking by age in Northern Ireland, 2002–03 and 2004–05 Percentage
		
			  Financial year 
			 Age group 2002–03 2004–05 
		
		
			 16–24 32 29 
			 25–34 32 55 
			 35–44 27 32 
			 45–64 26 26 
			 65 + 14 12 
			 All adults aged 16+ 26 26 
		
	
	Source:
	Continuous Household Survey

Sports Council

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of Sports Council funding for minority sports in Northern Ireland in 2005–06.

David Hanson: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland is responsible for the development of sport in Northern Ireland including the distribution of funding to sport. The Sports Council does not use or recognise the term "minority sports" in deciding funding levels. Figures on Sports Council funding levels to sport in Northern Ireland in 2005–06 are not yet available.

Adult Social Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish a White Paper on adult social care.

Liam Byrne: We are drawing to the close of a major listening exercise that will feed into a new White Paper covering the health and care that people need in the community. The public consultation exercise is known as "Your Health, Your Care, Your Say: Improving Community Health and Care Services".
	The consultation is broad in scope and covers both health and social care because that is what makes sense to people. The White Paper will bring together the outcome from the social care Green Paper, "Independence, Well-being and Choice", with thinking on health services provided in community settings. The consultation is due to close on 4 November and the aim will be to publish a White Paper around the turn of the year.

Asperger's Syndrome

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will ensure that each child diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome receive immediate referral for assessment in order to gain access to appropriate therapies and social skills training;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy that each child diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome should be allocated a key worker or lead nurse immediately following diagnosis.

Liam Byrne: The importance of early identification of developmental disorders followed up with prompt early interventions is emphasised in standard eight of the national service framework (NSF) for children, young people and maternity services. This standard applies to all disabled children and young people and those with complex health needs, including those with Asperger's syndrome. Autism spectrum disorders were the subject of one of the first two exemplars which we published at the same time as the NSF.
	The standard sets out clearly that parents of severely disabled children or those with high levels of need require a key worker. The key worker service should be provided in line with the guidance in "Together from the Start" (DH/DfES 2003) and "Care Co-ordination Network UK Key Worker Standards" (Care Co-ordination Network UK, April 2004) and supported by cross-agency senior management commitment. "Key Worker Standards" notes that a successful key worker service is dependent on an agreed referral system and specific guidelines for eligibility for the key worker service. These should be determined according to local need.

Care Guidance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance her Department issues to (a) local authority social services and (b) NHS organisations concerning the frequency of assessments for (i) social care, (ii) registered nursing contribution and (iii) NHS continuing care;
	(2)  when she expects to issue new guidance concerning NHS continuing care;
	(3)  if she will place in the Library a summary of the main issues discussed in the electronic discussion forum set up for her Department's work on NHS continuing care.

Liam Byrne: The Department is currently working on the production of a national assessment framework for continuing care due for publication in early 2006. This should result in a single set of national eligibility criteria and suitable assessment methodologies for access to national health service continuing care.
	Contributions to the electronic discussion forum, set up on the Department's website, in relation to the work on continuing care have not, to date, been significant. For the most part, the forum has attracted particular local queries rather than debate, and no issues have been raised that have not been aired at face-to-face stakeholder events.
	In the lead-up to the formal public consultation, we are noting all comments received from stakeholders. This will continue during the consultation period, and the information will be available after completion of this process.
	Policy guidance on fair access to care services (FACS) was published on 2 June 2002 under guidance of local authority circular (LAC) (2002)13. The guidance provides councils with an eligibility framework for adult social care for them to use when setting and applying their eligibility criteria. It also covers the timing of reviews.
	Detailed guidance on registered nursing care contributions are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/01/23/03/04012303.pdf—Health Service Circular HSC 2003/006—"Guidance on NHS Funded Nursing Care".
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/01/22/04/040122204.pdf—Health Service Circular HSC 2001/17—"Guidance on Free Nursing Care in Nursing Homes".
	Following the ombudsman's report on continuing care assessment procedures, new cases are now considered routinely as part of hospital discharge. Detailed guidance on procedures for NHS continuing care are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/01/22/80/04012280.pdf—Health Service Circular HSC2 2001/015—"Continuing Care: NHS and Local Councils' responsibilities".

Commission for Social Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the Commission for Social Care Inspection to publish its national report on its joint inspection activity.

Liam Byrne: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that the national report on "Joint inspection of services for older people'' will be published in March 2006.
	The report covers the inspection work that CSCI, the Healthcare Commission and the Audit Commission have jointly carried out into the way in which the national health service and councils are working together with their partners to meet the needs of older people and improve their lives.

Departmental Water Consumption

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reduction there has been in water consumption by her Department between 2002 and 31 March 2005.

Caroline Flint: In 2002–03, the water consumed in the Department's main London offices amounted to 22,346 cubic metres. In 2004–05, this amount had reduced to 18,012. Overall consumption per head had reduced from 8.72 to 7.50 cubic metres. This exceeds the target of 7.7 cubic metres per head contained in the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate".

Food Supplements (Tryptophan)

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of whether the consultation process undertaken by the Food Standards Agency on proposed changes in the regulation of tryptophan in food supplements was consistent (a) with the principles set out in Cabinet Office code of practice on consultation and (b) with the code of good practice in consultations and policy appraisal; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the merits of (a) warning statements and (b) statutory limits as a means of regulating the use of tryptophan in food supplements;
	(3)  what steps the Food Standards Agency took to communicate with stakeholders about its proposals for new regulations on the use of tryptophan in food supplements after the closure of its formal consultation exercise and prior to the laying of statutory instruments;
	(4)  why the Food Standards Agency proposed lower limits for the use of tryptophan in food supplements than the levels established by the agency's Ad Hoc Expert Advisory Committee on Vitamins and Minerals.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 27 October 2005
	The consultation process carried out by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) included preparing a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) to determine the impact on industry and consumers, which was followed by a 12-week consultation period with stakeholders on the proposed regulations and the draft RIA. The impact on industry, on allowing the re- introduction of L-tryptophan into supplements, was considered and on balance was considered to be positive given that supplements containing tryptophan have been prohibited for sale since 1990. Consumer choice will also be increased without presenting an appreciable risk to health. This approach is consistent with the Cabinet Office code of practice on consultation and the code of good practice in consultations and policy appraisal.
	The use of advisory statements was not considered appropriate due to the severity of the symptoms of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome in people taking dietary supplements containing tryptophan pre-1990, and the uncertainty relating to gaps in the scientific evidence. The United Kingdom Government's committee on toxicity (COT) decided to recommend a daily dose level of 220 milligrammes (mg) on a precautionary basis that would not present an appreciable risk to health.
	Following the closure of the formal consultation exercise on the regulations for the use of tryptophan in foods, the COT secretariat has reviewed the data submitted by respondents. They found that there was no new evidence to that already reviewed by COT in 2004, when it reached its conclusions on the safety of tryptophan that would support a higher level of tryptophan being used in food supplements. The FSA therefore adopted the level and purity criteria recommended by COT, and this has therefore been adopted into UK legislation to reintroduce the sale of tryptophan supplements in the UK, in the interests of consumer choice and safety. We have asked COT to review its recommendation and any new information on tryptophan since June 2004, and this will be considered at the COT meeting in December. Depending on COTs advice the legislation may be amended. A summary of consultation responses and full RIA will be sent to all respondents, and made available on the FSA website.
	Tryptophan was not considered by the expert group on vitamins and minerals (EVM) as it is not a vitamin or mineral. The EVM proposed safe upper levels (SULs) for vitamins and minerals using the well-established paradigm for setting acceptable and tolerable intake levels for chemicals in food. Where the data were not adequate to set a SUL, the EVM gave guidance on levels that would not be expected to result in adverse effects.
	The COT uses the same paradigm in its consideration of the safety of tryptophan as a supplement. In its evaluation the COT noted significant uncertainties and decided that an uncertainty factor of 10 should be applied to derive a dose that would not be expected to be a risk to health in the general population. The limit proposed by the COT was 220 mg of tryptophan per day.

GP Practices

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2005, Official Report, column 626W, on GP practices, how many general practitioners, excluding retrainers and registrars are projected to leave the national health service work force at age 55 or above in total between 2005 and 2015, broken down by (a) strategic health authority area and (b) primary care trust area; and how many general practitioners excluding retrainers and registrars have left the national health service work force at age 55 or above in each year since 1990.

Liam Byrne: Information relating to the number of general practitioners, excluding retainers and registrars projected to leave the national health service at age 55 or above in total between 2005 and 2015 broken down by strategic health authority and primary care trust could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on the number of number of GPs, excluding retainers and registrars, who have left the national health service at age 55 or above in each year between 2000 and 2003 is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Leavers from GPs of 55 and over leavers (headcount) 
		
		
			 2000 702 
			 2001 728 
			 2002 614 
			 2003 639 
		
	
	Information between 1998 and 2000 could also be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information prior to 1998 is not of reliable quality.

Hepatitis C

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the costs have been of the hepatitis C FaCe It campaign separately identifying (a) the cost of information packs sent to primary health care professionals, (b) the professional fees charged by Munro and Foster, (c) the cost of staging FaCe It events and (d) other expenditure.

Caroline Flint: The information available on expenditure on the FaCe It campaign is shown in the table.
	
		FaCe It hepatitis C awareness campaign: expenditure to date £000
		
			 Category 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06(93) 
		
		
			 Information pack for health care professionals 19 62 0 
			 Professional fees charged by Munro and Forster (94)— (94)— (94)— 
			 Cost of staging FaCe It events 0 65 67 
			 Other expenditure, for example, Hepatitis C Information Line 68 431 219 
		
	
	(93) To 31 October 2005.
	(94) Disclosure of this information would be likely to prejudice commercial interests.

Informal Carers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to improve the training opportunities available to informal carers.

Liam Byrne: The Government recognise that many carers would like access to training and support in their caring role or feel that their own personal development and general mental and physical well-being would be enhanced by undertaking training or educational opportunities.
	Section two of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004, which came into force on 1 April 2005, provides that when assessing a carer's needs, councils must take into account whether the carer works or wishes to work, undertakes or wishes to undertake education, training or leisure activities.
	For example, "Learning for living" is a City and Guilds course specifically designed for this purpose. It is an online learning resource that can lead to a qualification accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The level two certificate in personal development and learning for unpaid carers is designed to identify and build on the knowledge, understanding and skills of people who are unpaid carers, either currently or in the recent past. The award provides carers with an opportunity for self-development and confidence building, to prepare for other roles and choices and to transfer the skills acquired from the caring role.

Medicine Reviews (Older People)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the target for medicine reviews in the National Service Framework for Older People has been superceded.

Liam Byrne: Although good progress has been made, the target for medicine reviews in the national service framework for older people has not been superceded.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to ensure that local protocols and pathways are established to deliver services to people who have a learning disability with mental health problems.

Liam Byrne: Adults with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities, are covered by the mental health national service framework (NSF) in respect of their mental health problems.
	"Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century" (2001), the first White Paper for people with learning disabilities for 30 years, requires clear local protocols to be in place for collaboration between specialist learning disability services and specialist mental health services.
	In order to promote the development of such local protocols, a learning disabilities dimension was added to the NSF local implementation planning group in 2002 and again in 2004.
	The National Institute for Mental Health in England and the valuing people support team published a service improvement toolkit called "Green Light: How Good Are Your Mental Health Services for People with Learning Disabilities?" in 2004. This guidance is designed to help local services to work together to ensure that the delivery of the NSF is working for people with mental health problems who also have a learning disability.

Neurological Conditions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Daventy (Mr. Boswell) of 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2719W, on neurological conditions, what work force issues were identified by the work force team; and what steps are being taken to address them.

Liam Byrne: The work force group identified shortages in the professions required to deliver the long term conditions national service framework, including medical consultants, allied health professions, specialist nurses and support staff, and the need for a greater flexibility in when and how services are delivered.
	The work force development priorities in this area are reviewed, alongside the requirements in other areas, by the work force review team and will be reflected, with other work force priorities, in the annual workforce planning recommendations to strategic health authorities (SHAs), which are expected to be published shortly. The recommendations cover work force planning in England for healthcare scientists, allied health professions, nurses and midwives, dental teams and doctors and are based on available evidence provided from many sources, including the work force group. The SHAs then consider their local circumstances and options for addressing their specific requirements.
	On 28 September this year, "Skills for Health" launched a range of competencies in this area to support the national health service in its delivery of more flexible approaches to services.

NHS Complaints

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's observations on NHS complaints structures; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: "Making Things Better: A Report on Reform of the NHS Complaints Procedure in England" (10 March 2005) is a useful and timely report, which focuses on the need to develop a more patient-centred national health service complaints procedure. The objective of any complaints process must be to satisfy the person who has raised concerns and, where appropriate, to use that information in order to improve services.

NHS Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to take the decision on which name should replace the name of direct payments.

Liam Byrne: There was a mixed response to the proposal to change the name of direct payments as outlined in the Green Paper, "Independence, Well-being and Choice: Our vision for the future of social care for adults in England". We are currently considering the implications of this issue further.
	An interim analysis of the response to the consultation, which is informing our thinking towards the forthcoming heath and social care White Paper is available in the Library.

NHS Staff

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the reasons for graduate unemployment in (a) physiotherapy, (b) medicine, (c) speech and language therapy and (d) nursing; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 October 2005
	After a period of sustained investment to ensure a rapid growth in the national health service workforce, the national health service is now moving to more of a steady state where there is a closer match between supply and demand. NHS expenditure is continuing to grow but getting the right staffing complement is an issue that needs to be addressed locally. Workforce planners within strategic health authorities are working closely with local NHS employers to make sure that staff and students understand the range of opportunities that are available. The electronic recruitment service NHS jobs (www.jobs.nhs.uk.has) hundreds of jobs for all staff groups.

PCTs/Strategic Health Authorities (Document Distribution)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the (a) reference numbers and (b) titles of (i) statutory instruments, (ii) departmental circulars and (iii) other documents distributed direct to (A) primary care trusts and (B) strategic health authorities consequential to the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967 and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in the last three years; what action was required in respect of each; and what further documents in these categories she proposes to circulate in the next 12 months.

Caroline Flint: In the last three years, primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been given access to the following letters and documents about the provisions of the Abortion Act, which set out the Government's policy, recommended good practice and refers to the legal position on abortion in relation to services:
	Letters
	The Chief Medical Officer wrote to PCTs and SHAs on 21 September 2005, following the publication of his report, "An Investigation into the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) Response to Requests for Late Abortions".
	The following documents issued by the Department:
	"Effective Commissioning of Sexual Health and HIV Services", a sexual health and HIV commissioning toolkit for PCTs and local authorities (2003).
	Government response to the Health Select Committee's third report of session 2002–03 on sexual health (2003).
	"An investigation into the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) Response to
	Requests for Late Abortions", a report by the Chief Medical Officer (2005).
	The following documents funded by the Department:
	"The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion", Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2004).
	"Recommended Standards for Sexual Health Services", Medical Foundation for Aids and Sexual Health (2005).
	The Department will be issuing best practice guidance for abortion services in spring 2006. The guidance will also take into account the issues raised by the Chief Medical Officer's recommendations, including the legal position on abortion.
	Contact with the national health service about the provision of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act is made with the license holders of fertility clinics. However, in August 2005, all NHS chief executives were given access to the document, "The Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, A Public Consultation" via the chief executive's bulletin.

Primary Care Trusts

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of redundancies which may arise from the reorganisation of primary care trusts (a) in Durham and (b) in England.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 13 October 2005
	The Department has received proposals on primary care trust configurations from County Durham and Tees Valley strategic health authority and these will be considered by an independent external panel to see whether the proposals meet the criteria identified in the document, "Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS", published on 28 July. Before any changes are made, proposals will be subject to a full three-month public consultation, beginning in December.

Private Finance Initiative

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to ensure that private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible create the minimum of environmental damage;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of (a) the (i) sustainability and (ii) environmental impacts of private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible and (b) what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the private finance initiative process to deliver environmentally sustainable projects for her Department;
	(3)  what role her Department (a) has and (b) plans to take to make the private finance initiative process more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability;
	(4)  what steps she is taking to make private finance initiative contracts for which her Department is responsible more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability.

Liam Byrne: The national health service environmental assessment tool kit (NEAT) is the NHS response to the Government's objective of a sustainable construction programme.
	All capital development schemes, whether private finance initiative (PFI) or publicly funded, must submit a NEAT as part of their full business case. The business case must demonstrate a commitment to meeting the NEAT score rating of "excellent" for a new build or "very good" for a refurbishment scheme.
	By integrating the design, build and operational aspects into a single financial package, PFI helps to encourage greater efficiency, including energy efficiency, over the whole life of the contract.

Sexual Health

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people under the age of 16 years have attended a sexual health clinic in (a) Tees Valley and (b) Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The number of attendances at genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics is not available by age group, but age group data are collected for a selection of diagnoses and are shown in the table. The data shown are for diagnoses made at GUM clinics (and excludes primary care) within County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and not by the patients' area of residence. For confidentiality reasons, these data are only routinely published at SHA level.
	
		Number of diagnoses(95) of selected sexually transmitted infections in young people aged under 16, County Durham and Tees Valley SHA: 1997 to 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 30 
			 1998 26 
			 1999 29 
			 2000 39 
			 2001 27 
			 2002 40 
			 2003 49 
			 2004 42 
		
	
	(95) Diagnosed conditions: primary and secondary syphilis, gonorrhoea, herpes, genital arts and Chlamydia.
	Source:
	KC60 Returns, Health Protection Agency.

Social Care Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been published on (a) access to and (b) transfer of care records from the NHS to social services; how she expects the sharing of patient care records to develop under the National Programme for IT; and whether legislation will be needed to ensure social services have access to patient records under the National Programme for IT.

Liam Byrne: General guidance on information sharing with social services has been published as part of the Department's publication, "Confidentiality: Code of Practice for the NHS". The national programme for information technology, aiming to deliver a national health service care records service by 2010, will, in time, support appropriate access to patient care records by all staff involved in providing that care. Social services will only have access to patient health records with the consent of the patient concerned or where access is already permitted by law, so new legislation will not be required.